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Vegetarian Valentine’s Day menu: Family-style

The whole family’s invited to this Valentine’s celebration! Nothing says ‘I love you’ like a big bowl of pasta, and kids will love this halloumi number. End the meal with some chocolate sharing waffles – tuck in before the rest of the family eat it all!

  1. Main: Halloumi pasta bake

    Halloumi pasta bake recipe

    Serves 4

    300g spaghetti, broken in half
    1 tbsp vegetable oil​
    1 onion, chopped
    3 cloves garlic, chopped
    pinch dried mixed herbs
    1 courgette, chopped
    1 medium carrot, chopped
    390g carton chopped tomatoes with basil
    225g The Corner Deli Co. Cypriot halloumi, sliced into 8 pieces
    90g babyleaf salad, to serve

    1. Preheat the oven to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C.

    2. Bring a large pan of water to the boil, add the spaghetti and cook for 8-10 mins until just tender but not completely cooked. Reserve a 300ml of pasta cooking water, drain and set aside.

    3. While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a separate pan and fry the onion and garlic together for 4-5 mins until beginning to go translucent.

    4. Add the dried herbs, carrot and courgette and cook for another 5 mins. Season with salt and black pepper and add the reserve pasta cooking water and the chopped tomatoes. Stir well and add the cooked pasta to the sauce.

    5. Tip the mixture into an oven-safe dish and lay the sliced halloumi over the top. Bake for 18-22 mins until the halloumi is golden brown and the sauce bubbling. Serve with the salad.

    Tip: If not needing the pasta bake to be vegetarian, try adding the other 100g pack bacon lardons and a pinch of chilli flakes for an Amatriciana-style pasta bake.

  2. Side: Cheesy hasselback garlic bread

    Cheesy hasselback garlic bread recipe

    Serves 2

    1 part-baked baguette from a 2-pack
    40g unsalted butter, softened
    2 large garlic cloves, crushed
    ½ x 125g ball reduced-fat mozzarella, finely chopped
    20g extra-mature Cheddar, finely grated
    10g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

    1. Preheat the oven to gas 7, 220°C, fan 200°C. Cook the baguette according to pack instructions; allow to cool. In a small mixing bowl, combine the butter, garlic, mozzarella, Cheddar and parsley. Season, then cover and set aside.

    2. Reduce the oven to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C. Using a sharp bread knife, cut slices widthways into the baguette, about 1cm apart and about ¾ of the way down, so that it still all holds together. Taking about ½ tsp of the garlic butter at a time, push it into the slits (it is easiest to do this using your fingertips). Be careful not to tear the baguette as you do so. If there is any leftover butter, you can spread this on top of the baguette.

    3. Loosely wrap the baguette in a large sheet of foil, then lay on a baking tray and bake for 15 mins. Open up the foil, then return to the oven for 5-8 mins until the top is golden brown.

    Tip: You can make the garlic butter and cook the part- baked baguette up to a day in advance. Keep the garlic butter in the fridge, then bring to room temperature to soften before using.

    Tip: To make this recipe serve 4, simple double the ingredients!

  3. Dessert: Chocolate sharing waffles

    Chocolate sharing waffles recipe

    Serves 2

    75g plain flour
    1 tbsp cocoa powder
    1 tbsp caster sugar
    1 tsp baking powder
    100ml milk, plus 1 tbsp
    1 egg
    2½ tsp vegetable oil
    40g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
    4 tbsp whipping cream
    2 scoops soft-scoop vanilla ice cream
    50g raspberries

    1. Put the flour, cocoa, sugar and baking powder in a large bowl. In a jug, mix the 100ml milk, the egg and 2 tsp of the oil until combined. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry, whisking until smooth. You can make the batter up to 2 hrs before and leave at room temperature, or make up to 4 hrs ahead and chill.

    2. Preheat a waffle maker and brush with the remaining oil. Pour in half the batter, close and cook for 3 mins, or longer if necessary. When cooked, repeat with the remaining batter. No waffle maker? Cook half the mixture on a preheated griddle brushed with oil for 2 mins each side over a medium heat, then repeat with the remaining batter.

    3. Next, melt the chocolate with the cream over a medium heat, whisking constantly; remove from the heat. Add 1 tbsp milk to bring it together and make it glossy.

    4. Halve each waffle and arrange on a large serving plate. Serve with the ice cream and raspberries, the chocolate sauce drizzled over and 2 spoons.

    Tip: To make this recipe serve 4, simple double the ingredients!

  4. Drink: Raspberry, apple and elderflower spritz

    Raspberry, apple and elderflower spritz recipe

    Serves 1

    1 tbsp lemon juice
    8 raspberries, plus extra for garnishing
    ice cubes
    200ml apple and elderflower sparkling water
    mint sprig, to garnish

    1. Muddle 1 tbsp lemon juice with 8 raspberries in the bottom of a tall glass. Half-fill the glass with ice, top up with 200ml apple and elderflower sparkling water and stir well. Garnish with raspberries and mint sprigs.

    Tip: To make this recipe serve 4, simply multiply the ingredients by 4!

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