5 Romantic Dinner Recipes

We all love to go out once in a while for a romantic meal with our loved one, but you don’t always have to go out to enjoy a great date night. These romantic dinner recipes will elevate your usual dinner into something very special, ooh la la.

Monkfish Wrapped in Banana Leaves with Ginger, Cilantro, Chile and Coconut Milk >

How pretty does this dish look? If you are impressed, then we are sure that your partner will be, too. The banana leaves not only look great, they keep all of those wonderful Asian flavors locked up until you are ready to woo your loved one.

Ingredients

• 4 large banana leaves or vine leaves
• a little olive oil
• 2 fresh red chilis
• 2 sticks lemon grass, outer leaves removed, centers finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 2 good handfuls fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• 2 limes juiced and zested
• 1 (400 milliliters) canned coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons sesame seed oil
• a drizzle fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 heaped tablespoons finely sliced fresh ginger
• 4 (6 to 8 ounce /170 to 225 gram) pieces monkfish (can use other more abundant white-fleshed fish)
• 4 rosemary sprigs or bay leaf sticks, to secure

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C/gas 8).
2. To make the banana leaves more pliable, hold for a few seconds over a gas flame.
3. Leaving aside the fish and herb sticks, pound the rest of the ingredients in a pestle and mortar to make a thick paste and spoon a little onto each banana leaf.
4. Place the fish on top and then spoon the rest of the paste on the top, bringing the sides in and spiking it with a rosemary sprig or bay leaf stick to secure it.
5. Put the parcels on a tray and bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven, and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
6. Serve the individual parcels on plates at the table and let your guests dissect them. When opened, the fragrant steam wafts up and smells fantastic. Serve with plain boiled rice to mop up the juices.

Seared Duck Breast with Cherries and Port Sauce >

As we head into the colder months, we welcome rich sauces and stronger tasting dishes, like this excellent duck dish. If you are looking for the perfect wine to go with this dish, take a look at our top wines to try for advice on pairing duck with wine.

Ingredients

• 2 5-to 6-ounce duck breast halves or one 12-to 16-ounce duck breast half
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) chilled butter, divided
• 1/4 cup finely chopped shallot (about 1 large)
• 1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth
• 8 halved pitted sweet red cherries, fresh or frozen, thawed
• 2 tablespoons tawny Port
• 1 tablespoon orange blossom honey

Method

1. Place duck breast halves between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Pound lightly to even thickness (about 1/2 to 3/4 inch). Discard plastic wrap. Using a sharp knife, score skin in a 3/4-inch diamond pattern (do not cut into flesh). DO AHEAD: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover and chill.
2. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle duck with salt and pepper. Add duck, skin side down, to skillet and cook until skin is browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Turn duck breasts over, reduce heat to medium, and cook until browned and cooked to desired doneness, about 4 minutes longer for small breasts, and 8 minutes longer for large breasts, for medium-rare. Transfer to work surface, tent with foil to keep warm, and let rest 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from skillet. Add shallot to skillet and stir over medium heat 30 seconds. Add broth, cherries, Port and honey. Increase heat to high and boil until sauce is reduced to glaze, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Whisk in 1 tablespoon cold butter. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

You Won't Be Single For Long Vodka Cream Pasta >

Romantic meals do not always involve expensive ingredients. Sometimes it is just about thinking outside of the box and spicing up your average weekday meal. What could spice a standard pasta dish up more than a good hit of vodka?

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, once around the pan in a slow stream
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 shallots, minced
• 1 cup vodka
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 can crushed tomatoes (32 ounces)
• Coarse salt and pepper
• 16 ounces pasta, such as penne rigate
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 20 leaves fresh basil, shredded or torn
• Crusty bread, for passing

Method

1. Heat a large skillet over moderate heat. Add oil, butter, garlic, and shallots. Gently sauté shallots for 3 to 5 minutes to develop their sweetness. Add vodka to the pan: 3 turns around the pan in a steady stream will equal about 1 cup. Reduce vodka by half. This will take 2 or 3 minutes. Add chicken stock and tomatoes. Bring sauce to a bubble and reduce heat to simmer. Season with salt and pepper.
2. While sauce simmers, cook pasta in salted boiling water until cooked to al dente (with a bite to it). While pasta cooks, prepare your salad or other side dishes.
3. Stir cream into sauce. When sauce returns to a bubble, remove it from heat. Drain pasta. Toss hot pasta with sauce and basil leaves. Pass pasta with crusty bread.

Roasted Italian Style Figs >

If you are looking for a quick starter that will leave you more time to get intimate with your dinner date, then this sumptuous Italian style dish will hit all of the right notes.

Ingredients

• 6 figs
• 200g crumbled blue cheese (we like gorgonzola)
• 6 sheets of Parma ham
• Salt and pepper
• 20 drops of balsamic vinegar

Method

1. Cut figs from the top stem to half way down with your knife; make sure you only go half way down or they won’t stand up!
2. Stuff with blue cheese and wrap in the ham to reform the fig.
3. Bake for 10 mins at 170c/350f or until cheese is melted.
4. In the center of a plate drizzle with remaining juices -- easy peasy!

Burnt Caramel Custards >

This is a decadent dessert that is often seen on dinner party menus and it is a lot easier than you think to make. Your partner will be very impressed by your preparing this dessert and is sure to reward you by doing the washing up!

Ingredients

• 1-quart heavy cream
• 1 vanilla bean split lengthwise
• 3/4 cup plus 4 tablespoons sugar, divided
• 6 large egg yolks, room temperature
• Pinch of kosher salt
• Whipped cream (for serving; optional)
• Flaky sea salt for serving (optional)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Place cream in a medium saucepan; scrape in seeds from vanilla bean and add pod. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat; set aside.
2. Bring 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil, swirling the pan occasionally and brushing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush, until mixture turns a deep amber color, about 4 minutes; remove caramel from heat.
3. Remove vanilla pod from cream; discard. Slowly add cream to caramel (mixture will bubble vigorously). Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth, about 2 minutes.
4. Whisk egg yolks, kosher salt, and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a large bowl. Slowly stream in caramel cream, whisking constantly. Divide custard among eight 6-ounce ramekins or ovenproof bowls and place in a kitchen towel–lined large baking dish or roasting pan.
5. Fill the pan with water halfway up sides of ramekins. Bake until custard is just set but still jiggly in the center, 60–70 minutes. Remove ramekins from baking dish; place on a wire rack and let cool. Chill custards, uncovered, at least 3 hours.
6. Top custards with whipped cream and sprinkle with sea salt.

With these great recipes, you are sure to heat up the whole house and not just the kitchen! Enjoy.