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‘Spice it up’ vegetarian Valentine’s menu

Make that midweek bowl of pasta extra-special for Valentine’s Day. With a baked camembert with chilli relish and our cheat’s homemade pasta in a spicy tomato sauce, this three-course meal is sure to impress the spice in your life.

drinkware RFO

  1. Starter: Baked camembert with thyme and chilli relish

    Baked camembert with thyme and chilli relish recipe

    Serves 2

    250g pack Camembert
    3 thyme sprigs
    1 garlic clove, finely sliced
    ½ tbsp olive oil
    1 tbsp Tesco Finest Chilli Relish
    crusty bread, to serve (optional)

    1. Preheat the oven to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C. Remove the paper from the cheese and discard. Wrap the cheese in foil, leaving the top exposed, then score small incisions in the rind with a knife. Place on a baking tray.

    2. Poke the thyme sprigs and garlic slices into the cuts in the cheese. Drizzle with oil, then bake for 15 mins until oozy in the middle.

    3. Spoon over the chilli relish, then return to the oven for a final 5 mins until bubbly. Serve straight from the oven with crusty bread, if you like.

  2. Main: Scissor cut arrabbiata pasta

    Scissor cut arrabbiata pasta recipe

    Serves 2

    For the pasta
    200g Tesco Finest 00 flour
    2 eggs, lightly beaten
    2 eggs, lightly beaten

    For the arrabbiata sauce
    2 tbsp olive oil
    4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
    1-2 small red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
    400g tin Italian finely chopped tomatoes
    20g basil, leaves picked
    25g vegetarian hard cheese, finely grated

    1. Tip the flour into a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour the eggs into the well and mix with a wooden spoon until you have a shaggy dough. Tip onto a clean work surface and knead for 10 mins until you have a smooth, uniform ball. Put back in the bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rest for 20 mins.

    2. Tip the flour into a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour the eggs into the well and mix with a wooden spoon until you have a shaggy dough. Tip onto a clean work surface and knead for 10 mins until you have a smooth, uniform ball. Put back in the bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rest for 20 mins.

    3. Tip the flour into a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour the eggs into the well and mix with a wooden spoon until you have a shaggy dough. Tip onto a clean work surface and knead for 10 mins until you have a smooth, uniform ball. Put back in the bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rest for 20 mins.

    4. Tip the flour into a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour the eggs into the well and mix with a wooden spoon until you have a shaggy dough. Tip onto a clean work surface and knead for 10 mins until you have a smooth, uniform ball. Put back in the bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rest for 20 mins.

    Tip: Test the chillies before adding to the sauce – add more or less, depending on how hot you like it.

  3. Dessert: Sharing orange and raspberry meringue

    Sharing orange and raspberry meringue recipe

    Serves 2

    4 medium egg whites
    1 cardamom pod, seeds removed and ground
    200g caster sugar
    2 tsp Tesco Finest raspberry coulis
    80ml whipping cream
    1 Jaffa Red orange, peeled and segmented
    20g pomegranate seeds
    10g pistachios
    mint leaves, to serve (optional)

    1. Preheat the oven to gas ½, 130°C, fan 110°C. Using an electric whisk, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. Add the cardamom and whisk to stiff peaks. Add the sugar 1 tbsp at a time, whisking well between each addition, until the meringue is thick, stiff and glossy.

    2. Preheat the oven to gas ½, 130°C, fan 110°C. Using an electric whisk, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. Add the cardamom and whisk to stiff peaks. Add the sugar 1 tbsp at a time, whisking well between each addition, until the meringue is thick, stiff and glossy.

    3. Preheat the oven to gas ½, 130°C, fan 110°C. Using an electric whisk, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. Add the cardamom and whisk to stiff peaks. Add the sugar 1 tbsp at a time, whisking well between each addition, until the meringue is thick, stiff and glossy.

  4. Drink: French kiss cocktail

    French kiss cocktail recipe

    Serves 2

    50g granulated sugar
    100g raspberries
    50ml lemon juice, plus
    strips of zest to garnish
    50ml London dry gin
    8 ice cubes
    200ml prosecco, chilled

    1. Add the sugar to a saucepan with 50ml water and heat over a low heat for 2-3 mins until the sugar has dissolved. Turn the heat up to medium-high and simmer for 1 min until thickened slightly. Set aside 2 raspberries to garnish, then add the remainder to the pan. Cook over a medium heat, while squashing them with the back of a wooden spoon, for 5-6 mins until they have broken down completely. Place a fine sieve over a bowl, then pour the raspberry mixture into it and push through with the wooden spoon until you have a smooth syrup. Set the syrup aside to cool.

    2. Once the syrup has cooled, add it to a cocktail shaker with the lemon juice, gin and ice cubes. Shake vigorously for 30 secs. If you don’t have a cocktail shaker, use an empty jam jar but make sure the lid is firmly on before you start shaking.

    3. Pour the mixture into 2 Champagne flutes, then top up with the prosecco and garnish with the reserved raspberries and strips of lemon zest.

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