Romantic Valentine's Day Menu

Recipes for Indian Pumpkin Stew and Chocolate Lemon Cheesecake

© Cecily Layzell

Feb 2, 2009

What could be a better way of celebrating Valentine’s Day on February 14 than with fine food? Avoid the stress and expense of a busy restaurant by cooking up a special, romantic meal at home.

Food, like love, is all about arousing the senses. The recipes below for a main course and dessert are bursting with color, fragrance and taste. The exotic Indian spices in the pumpkin stew fill the house with a delicious aroma, while the cheesecake tickles the taste buds with a combination of creamy, lemon-flavored ricotta and a rich, chocolate base.

The recipes are also practical: easy and relatively quick to make, with quantities adjusted for two people. For lovebirds with little time, the dessert can also be made in advance, leaving little to do on Valentine’s Day except enjoy it.

If drinking wine, try a light, crisp white with the main course, such as Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling, and Pinot Noir or a sparkling Moscato d’Asti with the dessert.

Recipe for Pumpkin with Indian Spices

A colorful, fragrant stew made from pumpkin, tomatoes and prawns.

Tip: Leave out the prawns for a vegetarian version of this recipe.

Serves 2.

Preparation time: 15 minutes.

Cooking time: 20-25 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 1 small orange pumpkin
• 15 cherry tomatoes
• 2 small cloves garlic
• 1 small piece fresh ginger, about 3 inches / 8 cm long
• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon mustard seed
• Large handful frozen prawns
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

1. Peel the pumpkin and cut in half. Scoop out the pips, discard and roughly cut the flesh into chunks. Wash and halve the tomatoes. Mince the garlic. Peel the ginger and chop very finely.
2. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil over a medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, cinnamon stick, bay leaves and mustard seed.
3. Stirring frequently, fry until the garlic is golden and the mustard seeds have just started to pop. Add the pumpkin and tomatoes and mix until they are evenly covered with the oil and spice mixture.
4. Turn down the heat, add about 2 inches / 5 cm of water and leave to simmer with the lid on until the pumpkin is soft and just starting to fall about, about 20 minutes. The pumpkin should thicken the sauce but cook for a few more minutes with the lid off if there is still too much water. It is also possible to give the pumpkin a helping hand by breaking some of the pieces down with the back of a spoon.
5. About 5-6 minutes before the end of the cooking time, add the prawns and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaves before spooning the stew into shallow bowls. Serve with boiled rice or warm Indian naan bread.

Recipe for Chocolate Lemon Cheesecake

Combining a rich, chocolate base and creamy ricotta and lemon filling, this delicious dessert is easy to make but looks and tastes really special.

Makes 6-8 slices.

Preparation time: 20 minutes.

Cooking time: 45-50 minutes.

Ingredients:

For the crust

• 2 oz / 50 g soft butter
• 1 ½ oz / 40 g soft, dark-brown sugar
• 2 ½ / 75 g plain flour
• ½ oz / 15 g unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ egg, beaten

For the filling

• 1 ½ eggs, beaten
• 2 ½ / 75 g soft, white sugar
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 12 oz / 350 g ricotta
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 355 degrees F / 180 degrees C.
2. In a bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and creamy. Mix in the flour and cocoa powder, then add the egg and form into a soft dough.
3. Grease a loose-bottomed cake tin about 7 inches / 18 cm in diameter. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured board into a round big enough to cover the base of the tin and extend up the sides.
4. Cover the dough with greaseproof paper and baking beans and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the beans and greaseproof paper and cook for a further five minutes.
5. While the base is cooking, prepare the filling. Beat together the sugar and eggs until they are thick and creamy. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until smooth. Pour into the crust and bake in to oven for 45-50 minutes, or until the filling is firm to the touch and just turning golden.
6. Leave the cake to cool before slicing and serving. Store any leftovers in the fridge and eat within three days.

Find more romantic meal ideas here.

Fragrant Indian Pumpkin Stew

Creamy Chocolate Lemon Cheesecake

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