Romantic Valentine's Day Dinner Ideas
Tempting menu ideas for those spending Valentine’s Day at home
What’s cooking, good looking? As Valentine’s Day approaches, if you’re planning to spend it at home with the object of your affection, why not offer to cook a romantic dinner for two? Love is in the air at Party Pieces, and our newest ranges have all the romantic decorations and special touches you need for creating a lovebirds’ night in. Kit out your place with garlands such as this ‘You and Me’ tasselled one, or fill the room with these heart-shaped foiled balloons in the prettiest of palettes, which you can customise with your own message. Browse our full Valentine’s Day collection here. And once the scene’s set, what are you going to dish up? Here are some Valentine’s Day recipe ideas to fall in love with…
Sharing plates
Sharing is caring, particularly when it’s with the one you love. This Valentine’s Day, if you’re both meat eaters you could head to your local farm shop or butcher’s to order a special occasion cut such as a fillet to prepare chateaubriand-style with a sauce (chances are it’ll be much cheaper than in a restaurant). Fish eaters might enjoy a whole roast fish to share, such as this sea bream recipe for two, which is accompanied by a salsa romesco in rosy Valentine’s Day red. For vegans and vegetarians, how about a show-stopping griddled vegetable sharing platter like this one? Charred vine tomatoes and tenderstem broccoli give the dish its vibrant colours, and you could serve with a home-made dipping sauce, bread and olive oil.
Aphrodisiacs
Look, we don’t know if aphrodisiacs actually work to get you into the mood for love, but if they’re delicious then there’s no harm done. Apparently oysters, strawberries, rocket, cinnamon and sweet potato are among the foods that help boost blood flow and mood; and that lovely list sounds more or less like a complete meal! How about serving fresh oysters with lime and wintery pomegranate, roasted sweet potato and ricotta dumplings with rocket salad, followed by strawberry and cinnamon cupcakes? This Valentine’s Day cupcake kit will help you add the special finishing touch. Warning: if you’re not already in love, this menu will do the trick!
Heart-shaped food
There’s nothing basic about heart-shaped food for Valentine’s Day. Or rather, heart-shaped food for Valentine’s Day may be a bit basic but we’re not ashamed to love it anyway! Don’t you know that the way to someone’s heart is with a Valentine’s Day grazing platter heaving with heart-shaped antipasti (how’s this for an appropriate platter?), followed by a heart-shaped pizza, and finished off with these heart-shaped butter cookies with raspberry jam? Even better, serve them with these pretty pink heart-shaped paper plates. Are we over-doing the heart-shaped thing? OF COURSE NOT!
Holiday memories
Wouldn’t it be nice to spend Valentine’s Day in Venice, Paris or Seville? How likely is it that you’ll actually be spending Valentine’s Day in Venice, Paris or Seville? If your answer is ‘not very likely!’ then we have an idea for you. Why not create a menu that tastes as good as one you might get in one of these blissfully romantic cities? Venture to ‘Venice’ with a Bellini cocktail (or a non-alcoholic equivalent), shallow-fried crispelle and strawberry semi-freddo (don’t forget these bellissimi strawberry napkins). For Paris, it needs to be a loaded platter of oozing French cheeses and chutneys, with a good red wine and – if there’s space (there won’t be) – crepes suzette with Grand Marnier. Spending February 14 in ‘Seville’? This time you need tapas of olives, manchego cheese, chorizo and tortilla. Bon voyage!
Don’t forget to complete your Valentine’s Day meal for two with decorations and tableware from the full Party Pieces Valentine’s Day range.