By Olivia Sarkar

February 13, 2023 (IANSlife) You've probably already thought about your Valentine's Day dinner plans, whether this is the first Valentine's Day you've spent with your partner or the tenth. Whether you've spent the entire day together or have just returned from an evening date, you'll be hungry by the time the sun sets. These dishes are ideal for a romantic date night or for a wonderful way to conclude the evening. Cooking together is a really enjoyable way to pass the time.

Here are some recipes curated by Swapnadeep Mukherjee, Executive Chef, The Metropolitan Hotel & Spa.

CHOCOLATE HEART PEANUT BUTTER COOKIE

Ingredients                                                      

• Unsalted butter                                               
• Granulated sugar                                            
• Packed brown sugar, light or dark                  
• Peanut butter                                                  
• Large egg                                                        
• All-purpose flour                                            
• Baking soda                                                    
• Baking powder                                                                       
• Kosher salt (don’t use if using salted butter)  
• Dark chocolate                                               

Method:

Make the cookie dough:

• Take a bowl, mix peanut butter and egg, beat unsalted butter until creamy for 2 minutes, add brown sugar and white sugar, beat for another 2 mins. Pour this mixture in the bowl and mix well.
• In another bowl, vigorously whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the sugar butter mixture.
• Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
• Reheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

Shape the cookies

• Shape the dough into 1 1/4 inch balls. Place the balls of dough about 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets (unlined sheets are fine, though you can use parchment paper to line them, if you like). Flatten in a crisscross pattern with a fork (It helps to dip the fork in sugar to keep it from sticking to the dough)

Bake the cookies:

• Bake one sheet at a time on the centre rack at 375°F (190°C) until light brown for 9 to 11 minutes.
• Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool in their baking sheets for a minute. After 1 minute, transfer the cookies to a rack to cool completely.
• Melt dark chocolate, pour it in a heart shaped mould and keep it in cool area.
• When cookies are baked, put heart shape chocolate on top and enjoy the crunchy chocolaty taste. 

 

CHOCOLATE PIZZA

 

Pizza dough

Ingredients:               

• Refined flour                         
• Milk                              
• Yeast                          
• Sugar                          
• Salt                             
• Oil                              
• Water                         
• Chocolate-hazelnut spread (such as Nutella)
• Chopped or semisweet chocolate
• Chopped high-quality white chocolate
• Chopped toasted almond

Method:

• Preheat oven to 250’ c. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface. Take a heart shaped pizza base cutter to give it a heart shape. Transfer dough to prepared sheet. Make indentations all over dough with fingertips. Bake until golden, for 20 minutes.
• Pour chocolate-hazelnut spread over hot crust, level it. Sprinkle chopped chocolate and white chocolate over. Bake until chocolate begins to melt for 2 minutes. Sprinkle chopped almond, cut into wedges, and serve.

 

 

PANEER DILNAAZ

 

Ingredients                                 

• Onion Finely Chopped                      
• Tomatoes                                            
• Whole Cashews                                 
• Ginger Garlic HYPERLINK "https://cookingfromheart.com/homemade-ginger-garlic-paste/"Paste                            
• Butter/Oil                                           
• Green Chillies                                    
• Bay Leaf                                            
• Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder              
• Coriander Powder                                                                  
• Turmeric Powder                               
• Kasoori Methi                                                
• Water as required
• 200 grams Paneer       

Method

• Add bit water to diced tomatoes, ginger garlic paste and cashews. Once the mixture is cooled completely, blend it into smooth paste. Set aside.
• In a non-stick pan, heat butter/oil. Add dried bay leaf and fry for ten second. Add finely chopped onions and fry until translucent. Pour ground tomato, cashew paste in it and fry for 3-4 mins.
• Add some water if required and add all the masala powders – kashmiri red chilli powder, garam masala powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and turmeric powder. Add some water if the gravy is too thick. Add slit green chillies and salt. Cook for another 3-4 mins.
• Add Kasoori methi and fresh cream. Mix well. Cut paneer into thin slices and using a heart shaped cutter cut out the hearts and grate some of the paneer too. Add heart shaped Paneer pieces and mix well
• Serve hot with Kulchas/Rotis/Phulkas/Naan.            

 

Any Valentine's Day recipe you select for your special someone is likely to be the ideal choice if it is romantic, useful, or simply spectacular. Try to come up with a gesture that will serve as a reminder of your unique relationship to your loved ones. Special Valentine’s Day Recipes curated by Divya from Intelliquo.

WAKAO FOODS AMERICAN HERBS SAUSAGE - HOT DOG

Ingredients- Hotdog buns, Wakao Sausages, Lime-cilantro Mayo, Sweetcorn , Chopped onion and tomatoes for corn salsa.

Method-  Corn salsa

• Mix sweet corn,chopped onion and chopped tomatoes with some lime juice and red chili powder.
• Pan fry the sausages until cooked from all sides.
• Slit the buns and place the sausages in them. Add some corn salsa on both sides of the sausages

Price- INR 350

 

THE BETTER FLOUR - BAKED NACHOS

Ingredients

• The Better Flour Robust Red Flour Blend
• Cheese
• Milk
• Jalapenos
• Sour cream
• Avocado
• Salt

•  Pepper

Method

• Knead the dough with a Robust red flour blend and warm water
• Roll the dough into chapatis and cut triangles
• Preheat the oven to 180c temperature for 10 minutes
• Brush them with oil or ghee
• Bake the chips at 180c for 20 minutes until the edges start to brown
• Prick it with a fork at regular intervals
• For the cheese sauce:
• Heat the milk and keep stirring in cheese till a
• the thick sauce is achieved
• In a plate or a bowl layer the chips, cheese sauce and jalapeños slices
• Garnish with sour cream and mashed avocados.
• Serve

 

MEISTURWURST PORK-BAVARIAN MEATLOAF WITH CREAMY BUTTER-GARLIC CHEESY SPINACH AND MUSHROOM SAUCE

Ingredients:

• 6-8 slices Meisterwurst Pork Bavarian Meatloaf—1“thick
• 600 g whole Button Mushrooms—OR Portobello  Mushrooms—thickly sliced—peeled, washed &  dried on paper towel
• 4-6 cloves Garlic—finely minced
• 1 medium Onion– finely chopped
• 3 cups whole Baby Spinach Leaves—washed
• 150-200 g Sun Dried Tomatoes in Oil—set aside 1 tbsp of the oil for use in cooking—available in most supermarkets in cans / jars
• ¾ cup Fresh Parmesan Cheese—grated
• 2-3 tbsp Salted Butter
• ½ cup White Wine—any local one will suffice
• 1½ cup rich OR light Cream
• 1 tbsp Dried Mixed Italian Herbs—Oregano, Rosemary, Thyme, Basil & parsley
• 1 tbsp Fresh parsley—chopped
• 1 tsp Corn starch—Optional
• 1 FOR THE PORK BAVARIAN MEATLOAF

Instructions:

• On medium heat, melt the butter in a skillet / wok & lightly sauté the onions & garlic for about 1 min  or until nicely fragrant
• Add the sundried tomatoes & its oil to the butter & cook for abt 2 mins, releasing the flavours.
• Now add in the whole Button Mushrooms or sliced  Portobello Mushrooms & cook for 5-6 ins
• Add the white wine & let the mixture reduce to half  its consistency—all the while scraping any sticky  bits at the bottom of the skillet
• Reducing the flame to low, now you can add in the  cream—simmering while stirring occasionally
• Season with the salt & pepper to taste
• While this simmers, add to the mix the spinach leaves, letting it wilt just sufficiently before  adding the Parmesan Cheese
• Allow the sauce to simmer another 1 min while the  cheese melts through & the sauce thickens—if  you wish to have a thicker consistency, add a  milk/cornstarch mix & stir till you reach the thick-  ness you want
• Add in the herbs to the reduced & almost ready sauce—give a stir & remove from heat
• Garnish with a sprinkle of Freshly chopped Pars-  ley
• Serve over sides of Creamy Smashed Potatoes/  Cauliflower & Steamed String Beans/Carrots/  Broccoli/Peas or even a Vegetable & Herb Rice

 

 

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