VALENTINE'S MENU
I can pretend that I don't care about all the Valentine's nonsense, but actually, I really like it. And yes, I secretly hope that next week a mysterious package or a huge bouquet of flowers will be delivered to the editorial office. Duh, I'm just human. A romantic specimen, too.
You don't have to go all out to surprise each other. Just doing something cozy or giving each other something small is already very nice. If you don't feel like going out or your bank account doesn't allow it, then you can just dive into the kitchen yourself, right? I think that's the most fun... Light the candles, let Miguel play through the speakers, and pull out an exciting outfit from the closet. I've put together a nice little menu for you that won't take hours in the kitchen but will score you a decent amount of points. Because you know: love still goes through the stomach.
Appetizer
Hit up the caterer and raid the artisanal bakery on the corner. You won't please your loved one more than with a good charcuterie board including truffle sausages, fragrant Mont d'Or, and paper-thin Parma that melts on your tongue. Dress up your board with some carrots and celery sticks for team fitgirl (you, that is), because just look at dish 2. Trust me, you'll want to save room for that.
Main course
Chic mac & cheese
Love goes through the stomach, and believe me, this chic mac & cheese especially. So how do you make your plate chic? Yes, indeed, with truffle. Go easy with the starter, because for this dish, you need to save some hunger. Trust me, after your first bite, you'll throw all your dieting practices out the window; those count again tomorrow. Okay, the day after tomorrow, because the day after, this mac & cheese is even tastier. I've hidden some cauliflower in it to make it a bit more Simone.
Ingredients
. 500 ml whole milk
. half a cauliflower
. 40 grams butter
. 40 grams spelt flour
. 200 grams rigatoni (or pasta of your choice)
. 30 ml truffle oil
. 1 black truffle (optional)
. a ball of buffalo mozzarella
. piece of Gruyère cheese
. two slices of old (sourdough) bread
. olive oil
. clove of garlic
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
2. Spread the slices of bread with olive oil and the clove of garlic.
3. Bake the slices until they are crispy.
4. Let them cool and crumble until a sort of breadcrumbs is formed.
5. Set it aside.
6. Cook the pasta al dente, drain, and set that aside too.
7. Heat the milk over medium heat, slowly bring it to a boil, and add the cauliflower florets.
8. Drain the cauliflower when it's cooked and catch the milk.
9. Melt the butter in a pan, add the flour, and stir until it is fully absorbed by the butter.
10. Slowly add the milk while stirring until you get a thick béchamel sauce.
11. Puree the cauliflower and add it to the béchamel sauce.
12. Add the pasta to the sauce along with the truffle oil, half of the mozzarella, and a generous handful of Gruyère cheese.
13. Season with salt and pepper.
14. Place the pasta in a large greased baking dish and shave the fresh truffle over the pasta.
15. Sprinkle the pasta with the remaining cheese and the breadcrumbs.
16. Place the baking dish in the oven (on grill mode) and bake until a golden brown crust forms.
17. Serve with a handful of arugula, or just with two spoons.
Dessert
Cinnamon pears with Greek yogurt and caramelized pecans
Ingredients
2 ripe Doyenné du Comis pears
knob of butter
full-fat Greek yogurt
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp coconut blossom sugar
handful of pecans
1. Peel the pears and slice them. Sauté the pears in a knob of butter and sprinkle them with cinnamon.
2. Take a frying pan and melt a knob of butter, add the coconut blossom sugar and maple syrup.
3. Keep the pan moving so that the nuts are well mixed with the syrup. Be careful not to burn the sugar.
4. Serve the pear slices with a spoonful of Greek yogurt and the caramelized nuts.
5. Of course, you can always replace the yogurt with a scoop of ice cream.
Elke, are you coming over for dinner?
