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Casual vegetarian Valentine’s menu

Treat your partner to a delicious, relaxed Valentine’s meal, with gnocchi mac ‘n’ cheese and a 15-minute chocolate lava cake ­­– who said romance is dead? Top it all off with a minimal effort but maximum impact pretty pink negroni.

drinkware RFO

  1. Main: Gnocchi mac and cheese

    Main: Gnocchi mac and cheese

    Serves 2

    200g broccoli, cut into florets
    2 tsp olive oil
    30g butter
    2 garlic cloves, crushed
    2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked
    30g panko breadcrumbs
    400g potato gnocchi
    1 tbsp plain flour
    200ml whole milk
    ½ tsp mustard powder
    30g grated Red Leicester
    40g mature Cheddar, grated

    1. Preheat the oven gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C. Toss the broccoli florets with 1 tsp oil, season with pepper and spread out on a baking tray. Roast for 15-20 mins, turning once, until crisp and browned at the edges.

    2. Meanwhile, make the mac and cheese topping, heat 15g butter and the remaining oil in a large frying pan. Add the garlic, thyme and breadcrumbs and cook, stirring, for 3-4 mins until golden and crisp.

    3. Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the gnocchi for 1-2 mins, until floating. Drain.

    4. Make the cheese sauce. Make a roux by melting the remaining butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and cook over medium heat, stirring, for 2-3 mins until. Slowly pour in the milk, stirring until smooth.

    5. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 2 mins. Add the mustard powder, black pepper and the cheeses, stirring until melted.

    6. Add the gnocchi to the sauce and stir to coat. Tip into a baking dish, cover with the breadcrumbs and bake for 15 mins, until dark golden and bubbling. Serve with the roasted broccoli.

  2. Dessert: Microwave chocolate lava cake

    Microwave chocolate lava cake recipe

    Serves 4

    6 tbsp milk
    6 tbsp sunflower oil
    1 tsp vanilla extract
    7 tbsp self-raising flour
    6 tbsp caster sugar
    3 tbsp cocoa powder
    ¼ tsp baking powder
    1 tbsp chocolate spread
    icing sugar, to dust
    Tesco Finest Madagascan vanilla ice cream, to serve (optional)

    1. Put the milk, sunflower oil, vanilla, flour, caster sugar, cocoa powder and baking powder into a jug and whisk for 2 mins until well combined. Set aside.

    2. Line a microwave-safe bowl (about 12cm deep and 12cm wide) with clingfilm, ensuring it hangs over the side by at least 1cm.

    3. Pour one-third of the batter into the bowl and microwave on high* for 1 min 15 secs. Set aside for 1 min.

    4. Pour the rest of the batter into the bowl, then spoon the chocolate spread on top. Microwave on high for 2 mins 45 secs, then leave to stand for 2 mins.

    5. Place a plate over the bowl and carefully invert the bowl onto the plate. Tap the bowl and carefully remove with the clingfilm. Dust the cake with the icing sugar and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if you like.

    *Timings are based on a 800w microwave and will vary depending on your device

    Tip: To make this recipe serve 2, simply halve the ingredients.

  3. Drink: Pink negroni

    Pink negroni recipe

    Serves 2

    50ml pink gin
    50ml sweet white vermouth
    30ml Campari
    30ml Aperol

    1. Fill 2 short tumblers with ice. Divide the pink gin, sweet white vermouth, Campari and Aperol between the glasses and stir until the glass feels cool on the outside.

    2. Slice a round of orange and add to the glass to serve.