2006 Valentines meal recipe

Do you remember what you were doing on Valentine's Day twenty years ago? Perhaps you were sharing a bottle of prosecco (or blue WKDs) with a group of friends, or lovingly sharing a spaghetti bolognese at Frankie and Benny's with your partner. We dove into the archives to find out what students recommended you prepare for a romantic Valentine's meal in 2006.

Starter

Simply Oysters

Simply serve oysters, with seasoning and a fresh lemon wedge to squeeze on top. Accompany with a flute of champagne.

For those on a budget, or turned off by the prospect of oysters, here's another, just as aphrodisiac-packed idea:

Smoked chicken, Avocado Basil pesto stack

Ingredients:

100-150 grams smoked chicken breast
1 x sliced avocado
1-2 large tomatoes sliced
2 tbsp basil pesto
Fresh basil leaves, roughly shredded
A few Walnuts (to sprinkle around the plate)

Method:

Simply arrange the chicken, avocado and tomato slices into a layered stack onto a plate.
Drizzle over the pesto, and scatter the basil leaves over the top. Sprinkle the walnuts around the plate.
Serve straight away before the avocado starts to brown.

Main Course

Salmon and asparagus open lasagne with lemon and chive hollandaise sauce

Preparation time less than 30 mins; cooking time 10 to 30 mins.

Ingredients

Olive oil and a knob of butter
2 skinned salmon fillets
4 sheets of fresh lasagna pasta
1 large bunch of asparagus, trimmed and halved if long
6-8 baby plum tomatoes
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 x pot of fresh or jarred hollanadaise sauce (or make your own if you're feeling creative.)
2 tsp lemon juice
crushed chili 1 tbsp
chopped chives

Method

1. To cook the salmon, heat a trickle of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Season the salmon with salt and freshly ground pepper.

2. Add a knob of butter and once it is bubbling, add the salmon, cooking gently for 3-4 minutes. Turn over and remove the pan from the heat. The heat from the pan will continue to cook the salmon while you make the rest of the dish.

3. Add the lasagne sheets to a large pot of boiling salted water. They should only take 3-4 minutes. If the lasagne takes longer (check packet instructions) start it off, and add the asparagus part of the way through.

4. Once they are both cooked, drain well.

5. Add the chopped chives and lemon juice to the hollandaise sauce. To serve the dish, sit one sheet of pasta each onto a warm plate, top with the salmon, then the asparagus (leaving some spears aside to garnish the top) and add a spoonful of hollandaise.

6. Lay the second sheet of pasta over the top, spoon over the remaining hollandaise and finish with some asparagus spears to garnish the top, with a pinch of crushed chili or paprika. Serve immediately.

Dessert

Chocolate Fondue

Ingredients:

1 (6 ounce) package of chocolate - milk, dark, white or a combination of all!
2 tablespoons butter
1 can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dash of salt

Dippers:

Cubed pieces of cake
Gingerbread
Fresh strawberries
Marshmallows
Banana pieces
Almond biscotti
Grapes
Pineapple chunks
Apple wedges
Maraschino cherries

Method:

Melt chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and salt. Cook, stirring constantly about 5 minutes until mixture is hot and slightly thickened. Serve immediately.

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