Valentine's Menu

French Bistro Valentine’s Supper

Dozen oysters to start with a glass of champagne!

Steak with Cognac Pepper Sauce in 15 minutes!

Hot Chocolate Hazelnut Puddings

Steak with Cognac Pepper Sauce in 15 minutes!

Delicious served with crispy potatoes, buttered spinach green salad, or my fav skinny fries! Make sure you take the steaks out of the fridge an hour before cooking, so that they are room temperature when you are cooking them.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

2 x filet mignons steaks

3 tsp coarsely crushed whole black

1 tbsp oil

50g butter

For the Cognac Pepper Sauce

125ml heavy cream

100ml beef broth

100ml cognac

METHOD:

Firstly, remove the steaks from the fridge and put on a plate. I like to do this at least 30 minutes before I cook them so that the meat comes up to room temperature – it will result in a more tender meat. 

Coarsely crack the peppercorns (mortar and pestle), then press them onto both sides of the seasoned steaks so they form a generous crust.

Heat a heavy pan over high heat with the oil and butter, then sear the steaks 2–3 minutes per side for rare, a bit longer if you prefer, and rest them under foil on a warm plate.

Pour off excess fat but keep the browned bits, let the pan cool slightly, then add the Cognac, boil to reduce almost dry. Lower the heat, add the cream, and beef stock, let it bubble to a lightly thickened, adding an extra teaspoon of Cognac off the heat if you want more fragrance.

Serve the steaks on warm plates with the pepper Cognac cream spooned over. Serves with skinny fries.

Hot Chocolate Hazelnut Puddings

Gooey hot chocolate puddings feel romantic and cosy, and can go from oven to table in minutes. They're rich, nutty and perfect with a big spoonful of cold cream or vanilla ice cream. You can assemble them earlier in the day and bake when you sit down to eat.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS:

30g butter

100g blanched hazelnuts, chopped

180g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), broken into chunks

4 eggs, separated

100g caster sugar

50g plain flour

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Grease six ovenproof china cups or small ramekins with the butter, then sprinkle one-quarter of the finely chopped hazelnuts evenly around the inside of each, setting aside another quarter for topping the puddings.

Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (don’t let the base of the bowl touch the water).

While the chocolate is melting, in a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar and the remaining 50g hazelnuts together. Whisk the melted chocolate into the egg yolk mixture, then fold in the flour.

In another very clean and dry bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff, then gently fold into the chocolate mixture.

Pour the pudding mixture into the prepared cups or ramekins and sprinkle the reserved hazelnuts on top. Stand on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 9–10 minutes.