Cheesy and romantic vegetarian Valentine’s menu

Starter: Goat's curd, fig and beetroot salad

Serves 2

75g soft goat’s cheese
100g Greek yogurt
3 figs, thickly sliced lengthways
6-7 pickled rosebud beetroots, quartered
40g beetroot salad
2 tsp pumpkin seeds
walnut bread, to serve (optional)

For the dressing
2 tsp clear honey
1 tsp grainy mustard
1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1. In a bowl, whisk the goat’s cheese with the yogurt until smooth. Cover and chill until ready to serve. To make the dressing, mix the honey, mustard and vinegar in a small jug. Season to taste.

2. Arrange the figs, pickled beetroots and beetroot salad on a serving plate. Top with spoonfuls of the goat’s curd, then scatter over the pumpkin seeds. Drizzle over the dressing and serve with sliced walnut bread, if you like.

Dessert: Red velvet brownies

Makes 12

For the brownies
200g dark chocolate
135g milk chocolate
185g slightly salted butter, diced
275g soft light brown sugar
3 eggs
about 2 tsp red food colouring (amount will depend on the brand you use)
85g plain flour
40g cocoa powder

For the frosting
150g soft cheese
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
50g icing sugar
50g butter, softened

1. Heat an oven to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C and line a square brownie tray or baking tin with non-stick parchment.

2. Roughly chop the dark and milk chocolate and set aside 150g for the topping. Put the rest in a small pan with the butter and sugar then heat until melted, stirring occasionally.

3. Once the chocolate is melted, remove to a mixing bowl and cool slightly. Clean out the pan and use it to melt the rest of the chocolate then set aside.

4. Stir the eggs, one by one, into the melted chocolate in the mixing bowl then add the red food colouring until the mixture is a deep red colour.

5. Sieve over the flour and cocoa powder, fold to combine and pour into the prepared tin.

6. Pour the melted chocolate from the pan onto the surface of the brownie in four evenly spaced lines and use a toothpick to create a ripple effect.

7. Bake on the middle shelf for 25 mins, adding a few minutes more if you prefer firmer brownies. Cool in the tin for about 10 mins then remove and cool on a wire rack.

8. Beat the soft cheese, vanilla, icing sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Once the brownies are cool, trim off the edges and cut into nine even squares. Spread with the icing using a palette knife, keep chilled once iced.

Tip: To make these extra special, use a heart cutter to stamp out hearts from pink or red royal icing and stick one in the middle of each iced brownie.