Valentine's Dinners

Indulge in a special dinner with your loved one this Valentine's Day. Check out some of our romantic recipes for two.

Creamy Tuscan Chicken (Delish)

Credit: Emily Hlavac Green

Ingredients

Method

1. In a skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add chicken and season with salt, pepper, and oregano. Cook until golden and no longer pink, 8 minutes per side. Remove from skillet and set aside. 
2. In the same skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add cherry tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook until tomatoes are beginning to burst then add spinach and cook until spinach is beginning to wilt. 
3. Stir in heavy cream and parmesan and bring mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer until sauce is slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Return chicken to skillet and cook until heated through, 5 to 7 minutes. 
4. Serve with lemon wedges. 

Beef Stroganoff (Good House Keeping)

Credit: Beatriz Da Costa

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 10 oz. cremini mushrooms (sliced)
• Kosher salt
• Pepper
• 500g lean beef sirloin (thinly sliced)
• 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped) 
• 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1/2 c. dry white wine 
• 3 1/2 low-sodium beef broth
• 8 oz. fusilli pasta 
• 3 tbsp. crème fraîche or sour cream

Method

1. Heat 1 tablespoons olive oil in large skillet on medium-high. Add cremini mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl.
2. Return pan to medium heat, add 1 tablespoons olive oil, season thinly sliced lean beef sirloin with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink.
3. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute, then stir in Dijon mustard.
4. Add dry white wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits, then add low-sodium beef broth and bring to a simmer. Add fusilli pasta and mushrooms with their juices and simmer, stirring often, until pasta is al dente, 14 to 18 minutes. Stir in crème fraîche or sour cream and season with salt and pepper.

Garlic Prawn Mac and Cheese (Recipe Tin Eats)

Ingredients

• 500g prawns 
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 50g unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp flour
• 500ml milk
• 2.5 cups hot tap water
• 250g elbow macaroni 
• 150g cheese
• 75g mozzarella cheese

Seasonings

• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp mustard

Parmesan 

• 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Method

1. Preheat broiler/grill on high.
2. Mix together Breadcrumb Topping.
3. Heat oil and melt 1 tbsp butter in a large, deep skillet or heatproof pot on the stove over high heat.
4. Add prawn, sprinkle with pepper, then cook for 1 minute. Add garlic and cook for another minute until the shrimp has changed colour but not fully cooked.
5. Transfer to bowl. Turn heat down to medium.
6. Melt remaining butter. Add flour and cook for 1 minute.
7. Pour milk in slowly, stirring as you go. Once incorporated and lump free (use whisk if needed), stir in Seasonings, then water.
8. Once the liquid is hot, add macaroni. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring regularly, until macaroni is almost cooked through, then take it off the stove.
9. Add cheeses and stir through, then add shrimp. Taste for salt - tweak if needed. It should be saucy (see video) - it gets absorbed. Should still be saucy at this stage - sauce gets absorbed/thickens more in next step.
10. Sprinkle over breadcrumbs, then place under the hot grill for just 2 - 3 minutes until the top is golden.
11. Sprinkle with parsley if desired and served immediately!

Maple-Mustard Chicken Legs (Delish)

Credit: Parker Feierbach 

Ingredients

Method

1. Preheat oven to 450°. Toss potatoes and carrots in bottom of large baking dish with 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper. 
2. Pat chicken dry with paper towels, drizzle with remaining tablespoon oil, and season with salt and pepper. Arrange, skin-side up, on top of vegetables in baking dish.
3. In a small bowl, stir together mustards, maple syrup, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Brush on top of chicken and drizzle any extra over vegetables. 
4. Roast chicken until golden and a thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 160°, about 35 minutes. 
5. Remove from oven and brush thighs with chicken drippings. Turn oven to broil and broil thighs until deeply golden, 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Let cool slightly, then sprinkle with parsley before serving.