So Valentine's Day is almost here and every couple is racking their heads for something unique to do. For those who have been there and done that or those that want to do something more personal, a sure-shot romantic and scrumptious choice would be to get into the kitchen together! Five top Executive Chefs put together for you a special V-day feast for you. The recipes are simple; so you don't have to hunt for exotic ingredients and it isn't time consuming either. So here you go.
Cocktail cravings
From Senses @Oakwood Premier Pune
Strawberry Love
Ingredients
Tequila 60 ml
Triple Sec 30 ml
Cranberry Juice 120 ml
Fresh strawberry crush 15 ml
Garnish
Fresh Slice Strawberry
Method: Shake triple sec, fresh strawberry crush and cranberry juice with ice. Pour in to glass. Add fresh strawberry slice; then float with tequila on top. Garnish with strawberry and sip away.
Pink satin
Vodka 60ml
Litchi Crush 10ml
Grenadine Syrup 10 ml
Litchi Juice 90ml
Garnish: Cherry or mint leaves
Method: Shake ingredients together. Serve in frozen martini glass.
Soup it up
From Chef Arindam Bhattacharya, Great Kabab Factory @ Radisson Pune
Leek and potato soup
Ingredients
Leeks 3 large
Potatoes 3 large
Onion 1 small
Garlic 1 tsp
Butter or Olive Oil 2 tbsp
Vegetable Stock 500 ml
Milk 200 ml
Cream 50 ml
Salt and Pepper to taste
Method: Roughly chop vegetables. Melt butter in a pan, sauté onions for a couple of minutes and add chopped leeks, potatoes and garlic. Sauté for another five minutes. In another deep bottomed pan, add the stock, sautéed ingredients and bring to boil. Reduce flame and simmer for about 20 minutes. Now add milk and simmer for another 10 minutes.
Remove from flame and allow it to cool. Finally, blend them nicely. Add cream to make a smooth texture (the cal-conscious ones can skip this). Savour piping hot with some herbed bread.
Non-veg Option: Add chicken stock and a few pieces of boiled chicken to make a non-vegetarian soup.
Salad days
From Chef Amit of Galaxy Grill @Seasons Pune
Horiatiki
Ingredients
Cucumber 120 gm
Tomato 150 gm
Capsicum 60 gm
Onion 60 gm
Feta cheese 60 gm
Calamata Olives 50 gm
Olive oil 50 ml
Lettuce 100 gm
Oregano flakes a sprinkle
Salt, pepper, lemon juice and parsley to taste.
Method: Cut cucumber, tomatoes, capsicum and onion into thick slices or roundels. Break lettuce. Use Greek feta to enjoy the real flavour (alternatively try feta from Denmark, Holland, Turkey. If you can't get any of these, use cottage cheese).
For the marinade, mix olive oil, lemon juice, salt and crushed peppercorn.
Arrange or mix all ingredients in a bowl except for feta, as it's very delicate and will break up if you try to mix it. Arrange squares of cheese on top.
Pour dressing over the top. Sprinkle chopped parsley and oregano over salad. Drop a few calamata olives (normal green/black olives also work). Serve chilled with pita bread or khaboos.
Dig in
From Chef Mayur Tiwari @ The Marriott ICC Pune
Charmoula Grilled Prawns
Ingredients
Prawns150gm
Peppers 50gm
Asparagus 50gm
Olive oil 100ml
Charmoula Marinade
Coriander 100gm
Parsley 75gm
Garlic 50gm
Green chilly 30gm
Cumin seeds 20gm
Lemon juice 20ml
Method: Mix Charmoula marinade ingredients with olive oil to a thick consistency. Clean prawns and marinate with Charmoula paste. Cut peppers and asparagus in baton-shaped slices and grill. Subsequently grill marinated prawns. Place grilled prawns, peppers and asparagus on the plate and top up with olive oil. Serve the hot grilled prawns with chilli baguette.
Veggie Option: Replace prawns with a combination of paneer-mushrooms-baby corn-potato.
Sweet nothings
From Chef Hemant @The Hyatt Regency Pune
White Chocolate and Strawberry Cheesecake
Ingredients
Chocolate cookie crumbs 200gm
Castor sugar 150gm
Melted butter 30gm
Fresh Strawberries 250gm
Water 60ml
White chocolate chips 250gm
Double cream 100gm
Cream cheese 250gm
Eggs 3
Vanilla extract 1 teaspoon
Method: Heating oven to 165° C. Melt chocolate in a pan and add double cream, stir occasionally until smooth
Mix together cookie crumbs, castor sugar, and melted butter in a mixing bowl. Press cookie mixture into a 9/10 inch cake ring.
Wash and roughly chop 100 gm of strawberries. Place in a sauce pan; add 50 gm castor sugar and water. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Puree mixture and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, break eggs and add 100 gm of castor sugar, beat mixture until smooth. Add cream cheese and whip mixture to a smooth consistency. Add vanilla and melted chocolate
Pour mixture over cookie crust and bake for 60 minutes or until filling is set.
Allow to cool and set in refrigerator for 4-5 hours before removing from pan.
Remember to serve chilled.
The recipe may sound complicated but with two of you working side-by-side it's a piece of cake, literally! Start making this first, so that it's done by the time you're ready to dig in!
