Show your love by creating a romantic meal on Valentine's Day
We’ve all heard of the saying that the way to someone’s heart is through their stomach, which is why taking your partner out for a lovely meal on Valentine’s Day is such a popular thing. But there’s a much better way to prove how much you like someone than treating them to a swanky meal in an expensive restaurant - show your love by cooking a romantic meal on Valentine’s Day instead.
Even without the cost of living crisis to take into consideration, creating a romantic dinner for your lover is a much better way of showing your affection than going out for your date. They’ll appreciate that you’re willing to take the time and trouble to plan and cook something you know they’ll love. It's a much more personal and special way of showing how much you care - the ultimate romantic gesture.
Your romantic menu
The good news is that with the help of our nifty kitchen appliances, you can easily produce a delicious three-course Valentine’s Day meal:
Starter: homemade soup and homemade bread
Soup is so easy to make, it’s surprising people don’t do it more often. There are plenty of recipes online to choose from, but you can also experiment with your own flavours - soften your favourite vegetables in a saucepan of simmering water, then add a stock cube plus herbs and spices to taste. NB Soups made with tomato or asparagus are delicious, and both are thought of as aphrodisiacs - just sayin’! Then blend the ingredients together in your saucepan using a Masha Hand Blender (which we’ll also use later), and there you have it!
There’s nothing tastier than fresh bread straight from the oven, but it takes a lot of time and effort to make a loaf by hand. That’s why we recommend using the Bread Maker instead! Not only will you get a perfect loaf every time, but you can also use it to time your romantic dinner to perfection. It has a timer, so your lovely fresh bread will be ready when you need to serve it (but don’t worry if your plans are delayed unexpectedly - there’s a 60-minute keep warm function).
Main: Your choice of meat or vegetarian dish with sweet potato mash
Whether you're opting for steak, chicken or a vegetarian dish as the focus of your main course, elevate it with your choice of veg. Give your Masha a quick wash and use it to create deliciously creamy sweet potato mash to go with your favourite dish. After boiling or steaming your potatoes until they’re soft (around 10-15 minutes), put them in a bowl with butter, and salt and pepper to taste. Then use the Masha to whip everything into a smooth, creamy consistency - giving you the perfect fluffy mash to complement your romantic meal!
Dessert: Chocolate mousse and ice cream
What could be a better way of rounding off your romantic meal than with the indulgence of chocolate? A sweet to impress your sweet! We’ve found a lovely chocolate mousse recipe from James Martin - when you whisk the egg whites, make life easier for yourself by using the Gourmet Professional Stand Mixer.
When the mousse is set, decorate with fresh raspberries which will also take the edge off the sweetness. Alternatively use our Ice Cream Maker to create a complementary ice cream that will top off the chocolate mousse beautifully. We have a number of ice cream recipes that will fit the bill, so have a look at those first.
With a bit of thought and planning - and some help from our handy gadgets - you can produce an amazing Valentine’s Day romantic dinner with a real wow factor. We hope you have a successful and fun evening!