Cheesy and romantic vegan Valentine’s menu

Starter: Vegan and gluten-free mushroom pâté

Serves 6-8

20g dried porcini mushrooms
½ tbsp oil
2 echalion shallots, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
175g wild mushrooms, chopped
175g chestnut mushrooms, chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme, plus extra sprigs to garnish
60ml port
gluten-free crackers or bread (toasted), to serve (optional)

1. Soak the porcini mushrooms in 150ml boiling water for 30 mins to rehydrate them. Drain, reserving the liquid, and finely chop.

2. Fry the shallots in the oil over a medium heat for 5 mins until softened, then add the garlic and fry for 1 min more. Add the chopped fresh mushrooms and thyme, and simmer for about 10 mins until the liquid has reduced and the mushrooms have started to brown a little.

3. Add the chopped porcini mushrooms and the port to the pan, then allow to bubble until the port has cooked off. Strain the reserved porcini mushroom liquid, to remove any grit, and add to the pan. Allow the mixture to bubble until almost all of the liquid has cooked off. Season well and leave to cool completely.

4. Whizz the mixture in a blender or food processor to a rough paste and transfer to a bowl or jar to serve. Garnish with a few sprigs of thyme and serve the pâté with gluten-free crackers or toasted bread.

Tip: Cooking for 2? Leftovers will keep in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Dessert: Vegan raspberry mousse with coconut hearts

Serves 2

2 x 400g tins coconut milk, chilled overnight
50g icing sugar
100g frozen raspberries

1. Make the coconut hearts: carefully open 1 tin of coconut milk without shaking it and spoon the solid coconut cream from the top into a bowl. Save the coconut water for mixing into juices or smoothies.

2. Whisk the cream for about 30 secs until it starts to thicken. Add 15g of the icing sugar and whisk again for 1-2 mins until thick and fluffy.

3. Line a small baking tray with nonstick baking paper and spread the cream in a 1cm thick even layer. Freeze for 2-3 hrs until set, or until ready to serve.

4. Meanwhile, put the frozen raspberries and another 15g icing sugar in a small pan over a medium heat. Cook for 8-10 mins until the berries are broken down into a syrupy liquid. Remove from the heat and blitz with a hand blender until smooth. For a completely smooth coulis, push through a fine sieve to remove the seeds. Set aside to cool, then store in the fridge until needed.

5. Open the second tin of coconut milk and spoon the solid coconut cream into a bowl. Whisk briefly until starting to thicken, then add the final 20g icing sugar and 2 tbsp of the cooled raspberry coulis. Whisk again for a few mins until thick, fluffy and an even pink colour.

6. Divide the mousse between 2 serving glasses, cover with clingfilm and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hrs before serving.

7. Just before serving, remove the tray of coconut cream from the freezer. Use a small heart-shaped cookie cutter to stamp out heart shapes, then return to the freezer for 5 mins to firm up. You will only need 2 for this dessert, but the remaining hearts can be layered between pieces of nonstick baking paper in a small freezer-proof container and kept in the freezer for up to 3 days.

8. To serve, spoon the remaining raspberry coulis over the top of the mousses and top with a coconut cream heart.

Tip: Make sure that both tins of coconut milk have been chilled for at least 8 hrs or overnight to allow the thick cream and watery liquid to separate.

Make ahead: All elements of this easy pud can be made ahead, making it easy to serve on the day. Freeze the stamped out coconut cream hearts for up to 3 days. The raspberry coulis will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days and the whipped mousse in glasses will keep for 2 days, both covered with clingfilm.