Whether you’re cooking an intimate meal for two or whipping up a treat for the whole family,  @annasfamilykitchen‘s delectable step-by-step recipes are sure to make it a Valentine’s to remember. These mouthwatering meal ideas will have you covered from breakfast through to a decadent dinner and dessert!

 

 

---

Blueberry Pancakes with Blueberry Coulis

Who wouldn’t be happy to start their day with a stack of these?! The pancakes are sugar free – the sweetness comes from the blueberries added to the batter. The simple coulis takes just 5 minutes.

For the Pancakes:
1 cup self raising flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg
160g blueberries

For the Coulis:
160g blueberries
1 tbsp honey

Greek yogurt & lemon zest to serve

Method:

1. Whisk together all the batter ingredients except for the blueberries. Once you have a batter, stir in the blueberries.
2. Heat a large frying pan & add a knob of butter. Drop a serving spoon of the batter per pancake into the pan to make pancakes 8cm across. Make 3 at a time. Leave to rise for 2 mins then turn over. Set the cooked pancakes aside & repeat.
3. For the coulis, add the blueberries & honey to a pan & heat for 5 mins until the blueberries start to pop.
4. Stack the pancakes finishing with Greek yogurt, the coulis & a grate of lemon zest.

---

One Pan “Pick n Mix” Breakfast

A healthier alternative to a fry up and all cooked in one pan! Here I’ve used chipolatas, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach and eggs all cooked in one pan. Replace the chipolatas with regular sausages with bacon or vegetarian sausages. Swap the spinach for Kale. Leave out the mushrooms or tomatoes, add a red pepper….Just use whatever you have to hand.

Ingredients for 4-6:

2 tbsp olive oil
16-24 chipolatas
250g chestnut mushrooms halved
250g cherry tomatoes
200g fresh spinach
4-6 eggs

Method:

1. Heat a large frying pan (30cm) and add 1 tbsp oil and the chipolatas. Cook the sausages turning every couple of minutes for 10 minutes.
2. Add 1 tbsp oil and the mushrooms and continue cooking for 2 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes, some salt and pepper and stir. Add the spinach and stir again.
   Make small wells between the ingredients and crack in the eggs.
4. Put a lid on the pan and let the eggs and spinach steam cook for 7-8 minutes
5. Serve with toast or crusty bread.

---

Cote de Veau

Love in a pan! This Cote de Veau is perfect for a dinner a deux! Serve with home made chunky chips or new potatoes. And if Veal isn’t for you, why not try Cote de Boeuf?

Ingredients for 2:

700g (approx) Cote de Veau (or you could use cote de boeuf)
1 garlic clove
Sprigs of rosemary
Asparagus
1 tbsp olive oil
Maldon salt and pepper
350g asparagus
Juice of half a lemon

Method:

1. Bash the garlic and rosemary together with the olive oil, some salt and pepper in a pestle and mortar and rub all over the Cote de Veau.
2. Get a pan really hot and add the meat. Sear all over for 5 minutes then put the pan in an oven (200 degrees) for 10 minutes.
3. Take the pan out of the oven and put back on the hob. Add the asparagus and toss it in the meat juices for a few minutes. Squeeze over the lemon juice, let it sizzle then take the pan off the heat and rest for 5-10 minutes.

---

Cote de Boeuf

Whether you’re cooking for 2 or the whole family, this cut of beef is the ultimate treat. A one rib Cote de Boeuf will generously serve 2 & takes just 30 minutes. Or if you’re eating with the family use a 2-3 rib – it works brilliantly served with Yorkshires & roasties for a special Sunday lunch.

If you’re planning on the intimate dinner option, make life easy & serve the beef with asparagus & tomatoes which can be added to the same pan as the beef. This combo works brilliantly with fresh Salsa Verde for which all the ingredients are whizzed in a blender. Any leftover sauce can be kept in a jam jar in the fridge for 4-5 days.

Ingredients:

Either a 1 rib Cote de Boeuf weighing 700g or a 2-3 rib weighing 2kg

For the roasting 2-3 rib joint:

1 garlic clove
Sprigs of rosemary
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion cut into three disks

For the 1 rib joint:
200g tomatoes on the vine
200g asparagus
1 tbsp olive oil

For the Salsa Verde:
1 garlic clove
30g Parsley
15 mint leaves
15 basil leaves
1 1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tbsp anchovy fillets
3 tbsp olive oil
Juice of a lemon

Method:

1. Ideally get your beef out of the fridge & let it breath, free from plastic, for 30 mins before you start. Preheat your oven.
2. Season the beef all over & pat it with olive oil.
3. For the 1 rib joint: Get an ovenproof pan or roasting tray on a high heat & sear the beef all over for 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile whizz together all the Salsa Verde ingredients together in a blender or bullet.
5. Put the tray or pan into the oven at 200 degrees (180 fan) & roast for 15 mins.
6. For the final 5 minutes add the asparagus to the pan – give the pan a shake so the asparagus is coated in the beef juices.
7. Top with the cherry tomatoes, a drizzle of olive oil & season.
8. Rest the beef for 5-10 mins & serve with the Salsa Verde.
9. Roasting 2-3 rib joint: Bash the garlic & rosemary with the olive oil, salt & pepper & rub all over the meat.
10. Colour the beef all over in a hot roasting tray.
11. Lay the onions underneath.
12. Roast at 220 (200 fan) for 30 mins then reduce the oven to 190 degrees (170 fan) & roast for 35 mins per kilo for medium meat that will be coloured on the outside.

---

Venison Wellington with Port Gravy

Sustainable, seasonal and packed with iron, low fat, high protein, Venison is probably the most nutritious meat you can buy. It’s a great alternative to beef although you could use a beef fillet for this recipe and cook it in exactly the same way to make a Beef Wellington.

Ingredients:

800g venison fillet (or you could use beef fillet)
1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
30g butter
2 garlic cloves crushed
400g chestnut mushrooms finely chopped
Fresh thyme
3 tbsp red wine
8 slices prosciutto
375g puff pastry
1 egg whisked

For the port gravy:
1 tbsp butter
1 banana shallot
1 tbsp flour
100ml port
300ml beef stock

Method:

1. Season the Fillet, get a pan hot & colour it all over for 5-6 minutes. Brush with the mustard & leave to cool.
2. Warm the butter & 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan & add the garlic, mushrooms, thyme & black pepper. Cook on a low heat until all the water evaporates from the mushrooms. Add the red wine & let it reduce. Put the mushrooms in the fridge to cool.
3. Layout some clingfilm & make two overlapping rows of the prosciutto. See my stories.
4. Spread over the mushroom mixture.
5. Sit the fillet in the middle & wrap the prosciutto around the fillet so that you have a neat parcel.
6. Lay out the pastry on greaseproof paper. Sit the fillet in the middle & tightly wrap the pastry around it. Trim the sides, brush the edges with egg & seal the edges. Brush with the egg & score lines across the top.
7. Heat the oven to 200. Line a tray with parchment & get it really hot. Put the Wellington in the oven for 30 mins for medium meat. Let it rest for 15 mins before serving.

---

Meringues with Chantilly Cream and Raspberries

This is my perennial Valentines Day dessert which I make for all the family.

Ingredients for 4:

6 large eggs
350g Caster Sugar
250ml Double Cream
100g icing sugar + 1 tsp for dusting
1/2 tsp vanilla paste or 1/2 vanilla pod seeds scraped out
200g fresh raspberries

Method:

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. If making heart shaped meringues draw two hearts on the parchment paper and turn the paper over.
2. Separate the eggs adding the whites to a whisking bowl. Discard the yolks or refrigerate them for later use.
3. Whisk the egg whites on a medium speed for 4-6 minutes until you have stiff peaks.
4. Continue mixing on a medium speed adding 1tbsp of the caster sugar at a time. Leave 5 seconds between adding each spoonful of sugar. The meringue mix should be stiff and glossy.
5. Spoon the meringue mixture onto the parchment paper and shape into four heart, round or oval shaped nests.
6. Bake in the oven at 100° (fan), 120° (conventional) or in the simmering oven of an Aga for 1 hour. Put on a rack to cool.
7. To make the Chantilly Cream whip the double cream and icing sugar to soft peaks then add the vanilla paste or vanilla pod seeds and whisk for a minute more. Chill in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
8. To finish the nests spoon the Chantilly Cream into the middle of the meringues, top with fresh raspberries and dust with icing sugar.

---

Follow @annasfamilykitchen for more tasty recipes!