Most romantic Valentine’s Day recipes

It’s often said that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, but whether you’re a man or a woman there’s something special about cooking a meal for a special someone.

So, this Valentine’s Day, why not try one of our romantic recipes, guaranteed to warm your heart and fill your stomach!

Baked Organic Golden Cenarth

You’ve heard of baked Camembert, and who doesn’t love gooey cheese, but why not try the Welsh version?

Serves: 2

Prep: 5 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Ingredients:

1 organic Golden Cenarth cheese, plastic cover removed

A loaf of sourdough or ciabatta

A tablespoon of olive oil

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6. Place the cheese in its wooden packaging on a baking tray, secured with string to prevent leakages.

Bake for 20 minutes until the cheese begins to bubble. Meanwhile slice and lightly toast the bread under the grill.

To add something extra to the dish, serve with a roasted whole bulb of garlic or some red onion chutney.

Rack of Welsh lamb with a herb crust served with bubble and squeak, shallots and a red wine jus

You can’t have a list of Welsh recipes without including delicious lamb. This recipe sounds a lot, but it’s surprisingly easy and bound to impress.

Serves: 4 (or two with plenty of leftovers)

Prep: 40 min

Cook: 45 mins

Ingredients:

1 double rack of lamb ‘French’ trimmed - fat removed and bones cleaned (your butcher will do this if you ask nicely)

A tablespoon Welsh grain mustard

25g (1oz) fresh dried breadcrumbs

Chopped fresh herbs

Half a pint of lamb stock

1 glass of full-bodied red wine

6 potatoes for mashing - King Edwards are ideal

6 leaves of Savoy cabbage

1 small onion

12 small shallots

Knob of Welsh butter

Dash of olive oil

Salt and pepper

2 sprigs of rosemary to garnish

Method:

Make mash by boiling peeled and chopped potatoes for 20 minutes, drain and mash until light and fluffy.

Slice cabbage and boil for 2 minutes, cool and squeeze dry.

Peel and finely dice onion, sauté in a small knob of butter. When cool mix the potatoes, cabbage and onion together with seasoning and form into ‘cakes’ ready to pan fry later.

Coat the trimmed racks - cut into 4 portions - with the mustard and seasoning, then cover with the herbs and breadcrumbs which have been mixed together. Place in a roasting tray, drizzle with olive oil and roast in a hot oven for 12 to 15 minutes for medium or 20 minutes plus for medium to well done.

While the racks are roasting reduce the red wine and stock by half, remove lamb and let rest for 2-3 minutes in a warm place, add any juices from the roasting tray to the jus and pass into another pan, adding a small knob of butter to give a shine to the jus.

While the racks are roasting, also pan fry the bubble & squeak for 2-3 minutes on each side and poach the peeled shallots in a dash of seasoned water with a small knob of butter for 8-10 minutes.

To assemble the dish place a bubble & squeak cake in the centre of the plate, carve the lamb into three cutlets and arrange around the cake with the glazed shallots, pour over the jus and garnish with the rosemary.

Pan-fried fillet of Welsh sea bass with shrimp butter and crushed potatoes with peas

Serves: 2

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Ingredients:

2 sea bass fillets

50g fresh or frozen peas

500g new potatoes

1tsp fresh mint, finely chopped

2tbsp olive oil

Sea salt and pepper

50g fresh peeled shrimps

4 shrimps with shells for garnish

1tsp fresh dill finely chopped

2tbsp lemon juice

1tsp fresh parsley finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Put sea bass fillets on a plate and season with sea salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.

Boil potatoes until soft and drain. Transfer to a bowl and crush using a fork.

Boil the peas with a little sugar, salt and pepper and 1tbsp butter. Simmer until soft then drain.

Add peas to the potatoes and mix together with 2tbsp olive oil and the mint.

In a heavy based pan, melt the butter, add the shrimps, herbs and lemon juice and season to taste. Fry until cooked then set aside.

Heat a frying pan with some oil, put the fish fillets in skin side down and fry for a few minutes until the skin is brown and crispy. Turn the fish upside down and either finish under the grill or fry for a few minutes more in the pan.

Arrange the warm potatoes on a plate, put the fillet of fish on the top and finish with the butter sauce.

Garnish with the shell-on shrimps.

Bara brith bread and butter pudding

Combining two of our favourite Welsh products, this bread and butter pudding uses bara brith and contains just a splash of Penderyn whisky.

Serves: 6

Prep: 20 mins (plus cooling time)

Cook: 50 mins

Ingredients:

1 loaf of bara brith

100g caster sugar

1ltr of milk

6 eggs

60g butter

1 vanilla pod

20g brown sugar

20ml Penderyn whisky

Method:

Preheat the oven to 140 degrees. Slice the Bara Brith and spread with butter, then arrange in an ovenproof dish. Splash over the whisky and leave to soak.

Whisk the eggs, caster sugar and brown sugar in a bowl and set aside. In a saucepan boil the milk with the vanilla pod, and allow to cool. Pour the milk over the eggs and sugar and mix, and then pass this through a sieve.

Pour the liquid over the sliced bara brith until covered and bake for 40-50 minutes until golden brown. Serve with either ice cream or custard.