Valentine's Day menu: our ideas for a romantic meal: Femme Actuelle Le MAG

Our recipe ideas for a perfect Valentine's Day menu:

>> Discover our best sweet and savory recipes for Valentine's Day

The aperitif: caramelized cherry tomatoes and sesame seeds

Ingredients :

  • 250 g cherry tomatoes
  • 200 g sugar
  • 100 ml of water
  • 2 teaspoons of sesame seeds
  • 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

The preparation steps:

Step 1 : in a saucepan, combine the sugar and water and heat gently. When the mixture begins to thicken, gradually add the balsamic vinegar, stirring lightly. Cook over very low heat until the caramel is ready.

2nd step : to make your cherry tomato recipe, place the sesame seeds on a plate. Prick the small tomatoes with wooden picks, dip them in the caramel one by one and then roll them in the sesame. Place them on a sheet of baking paper before serving so that they dry and the caramel hardens.

Step 3: present your caramelized cherry tomato lollipops and sesame seeds the peaks in a small pot and the "head" (the tomato in this case) at the top, or conversely in a flat plate, upside down and peaks in the air, ready to be caught!

The starter: oven-baked ginger oysters

Ingredients :

  • 50 g unsalted butter
  • 60 g grated Gruyere
  • 1 lime
  • 1 dozen oysters
  • 15 g of fresh ginger
  • Salt and pepper from the mill
  • 1 kg of coarse salt

The preparation steps:

Step 1 : in a high-sided dish, pour the coarse salt. It will serve as a support for placing the oysters straight during preparation and during cooking.

2nd step : open your oysters: in one hand, hold an oyster firmly, hinged towards the wrist, hollow shell in the palm of your hand. Insert your oyster knife 2/3 of the shell. Without forcing, sever the oyster muscle and then pry with the blade of your knife. Remove the flesh of the oyster from the upper shell. Repeat the operation for each oyster.

Step 3: empty the oysters of their water for the first time then place them on their bed of coarse salt.

Step 4: preheat your oven in the grill position.

Step 5: peel and finely grate your piece of fresh ginger. Squeeze the lime to collect the juice.

Step 6: cut the butter into 12 equal pieces (about 4g for each piece).

Step 7: salt and pepper and pour 1/2 teaspoon of lime juice into each oyster.

Step 8: in each oyster, then place a piece of butter and grated ginger. Then sprinkle grated Gruyère on each oyster.

Step 9: pass the ginger oysters for 5 minutes under the grill of your oven. Serve immediately.

The dish: chicken with honey and ginger

Ingredients :

  • 1 whole chicken
  • 50g of honey
  • 30g butter
  • 12cl olive oil
  • 10cl of mineral water
  • 6cl soy sauce
  • 3g of ground ginger
  • 2cl of wine vinegar
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 1 onion
  • 1 tablespoon of Provence herbs
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1 pinch of pepper

The preparation steps:

Step 1 : preheat the oven to 210-240 ° C (thermostat 7-8).

2nd step : Rinse the whole chicken in running water, dry it with paper towels and place it in a high-rise oven dish.

Step 3: take the butter out of the refrigerator and cut it into pieces to put it on the chicken all over the place. Season with salt and pepper and add a little Provence herb.

Step 4: place it halfway up, drizzling with half a glass of water. Leave it to cook for about 1 hour 15 minutes, turning it regularly so that both sides are golden brown. Take out of the oven and cool to room temperature. Bone the chicken and reserve the pieces.

Step 5: peel the onion. Chop it finely. Peel the garlic and crush it in a garlic press. Take a cast iron skillet and heat the oil over medium heat. Place the pieces of meat there and let them brown. When it does, remove them and set them aside in a deep plate.

Step 6: Then stir in the onion, garlic, soy sauce, oil, ginger, honey, and vinegar. Mix everything together with a wooden spoon and let it brown slightly. Stir in the chicken and let it cook slowly over low heat. Remove from the heat then serve immediately.

Dessert: chocolate crème brûlée

Ingredients :

  • 200 g dark chocolate
  • 300 ml of liquid cream
  • 150 ml milk
  • 100g sugar
  • 5 egg yolks
  • 50 g brown sugar

The preparation steps:

Step 1 : preheat your oven 120 ° C (thermostat 4).

2nd step : boil the milk, cream and half the sugar.

Step 3: meanwhile, blanch the egg yolks and the other half of the sugar. Pour the liquid over the yolks and mix. Then add the chocolate in squares and mix.

Step 4: divide among 4 ramekins. Place the ramekins in a dish and pour water into the dish. Cook for 30 minutes.

Step 5: add brown sugar to each cream. Spend a few minutes under the grill to caramelize. Serve without delay.

The cocktail: the champagne love filter

Ingredients :

  • 30 cl of chilled champagne
  • 50 g raspberries
  • 1/2 teaspoon rose water

The preparation steps:

Step 1 : in a blender, mix the raspberries then filter through a coulis strainer.

2nd step : in a shaker, mix the raspberry juice with the champagne and rose water.

Step 3: serve in champagne flutes and taste your love filter immediately, decorated with a red fruit skewer.

For an alcohol-free version, replace the champagne with lemonade.

Read also :

⋙ Our quick and easy recipe ideas for Valentine's Day

⋙ Valentine's Day: our gourmet recipes inspired by chefs

⋙ Our special Valentine's cocktails

⋙ Valentine's Day desserts: 4 easy and original recipes