Love is in the air…

It’s the time of the year we embrace romance and passion and all things LOVE!  Cupid has practically aimed his bow at my favourite romantic recipes and he shot his arrow straight and sure into this recipe…which I will now share with you!

Serve this recipe of love to your sweetheart and they will literally feel your love jumping off the plate…not only is it easy to make, it will show them that you care and adore them.

Just in case you hadn’t noticed, I’m a hopeless romantic and celebrate Valentines Day every week not just once a year 🙂

Don’t have a valentine?  Not to worry, this wonderful dish is lovely to share with family and makes enough for 4 so I made sure there was some for the next day!

Can’t eat seafood?  Why not try this with chicken and porcini?  Recipe below for you!

Crab & Prawn Lasagne with Prosciutto Prawn Bling

INGREDIENTS:

• 4-8 fresh lasagne sheets (store bought is absolutely fine)
• 200g cooked crab meat mixed with 400g cooked prawns chopped, or cooked firm white fish (snapper or similar)

FOR BÉCHAMEL SAUCE:

• 3 T/50g butter
• 3 T/50g flour
• 600ml milk
• 80g Parmesan or Pecorino
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric /curry powder
• 3 Tablespoons white wine (optional)
• Salt and pepper

METHOD:

To make the béchamel sauce – melt the butter in a heavy-based saucepan. Remove from heat. Add the flour and stir well to make a ‘roux.’

Gradually stir in the milk, half a cup at a time, stirring continuously. When the mixture is smooth, return to the heat while stirring with a whisk. The mixture will thicken. Bring to the boil and cook through for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, add the turmeric and season to taste. Stir in the grated cheese and the white wine – you want it to be ridiculously cheesy and decadent! Set sauce aside to cool.

Grease a baking dish. Place a layer of sauce, then lasagne sheets, then 1/3 crab/prawn mix and smother with the cheesy béchamel sauce. Repeat until all meat is used. Finish with a layer of lasagne sheets and sauce and top with grated cheese.

Bake in a moderate oven (180°C) for about 30 minutes, until golden on top and pasta is cooked through.

The Bling: Proscuitto Prawns

Wrap 2-4 large tiger or banana prawns with 4 thin slices Prosciutto, fry in a pan with a little olive oil, once the first side is brown turn over and cook until the second side is done. Remove from hot pan and then burn a lime that has been cut in half, cut side down into pan until it has caramelised and is brown and juicy!

TO SERVE:

For a round of applause, garnish a plate with balsamic glaze and black salt, serve up the lasagne, top with the prosciutto prawn bling, petals and black salt*. Serve with a fresh salad of pear a rocket and parmesan.

*Culinary Bling Petals and Black Salt available from Vanilla Zulu store.

Chicken & Porcini Lasagne with Pancetta Bark

INGREDIENTS:

• 4-8 fresh lasagne sheets
• 500g chicken tenderloins or chicken breast and cut into very thin strips, pan fried hot and fast with 1 onion finely diced and shredded or sliced, cool.
• 4 Tablespoons minced or finely chopped Porcini/Portobello (use dried or fresh, but if they are dried cover in water and microwave for a minute to soften)

FOR BÉCHAMEL SAUCE:

• 3 T/50g butter
• 3 T/50g flour
• 600ml milk
• 80g Parmesan or Pecorino
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric
• 3 Tablespoons white wine (optional)
• Salt and pepper

Truffle oil to drizzle (available from your local deli or even some specialty fruit and veg…and of course from Vanilla Zulus fabulous new stop)

METHOD:

To make the béchamel sauce – melt the butter in a heavy-based saucepan. Remove from heat. Add the flour and stir well to make a ‘roux’.

Gradually stir in the milk, half a cup at a time, stirring continuously. When the mixture is smooth return to the heat while stirring with a whisk. The mixture will thicken. Bring to the boil and cook through for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, add the turmeric and season to taste. Stir in the grated cheese and the white wine – you want it to be ridiculously cheesy and decadent! Set sauce aside to cool.

Grease a baking dish. Place a layer of sauce, then lasagne sheets, then 1/3 chicken, onion and mushroom mix and smother with the cheesy béchamel sauce. Repeat until all meat is used. Finish with a layer of lasagne sheets and sauce and top with grated cheese.

Bake in a moderate oven (180°C) for about 30 minutes, until golden on top and pasta is cooked through.

The Bling: Pancetta Bark

Oven-roast 8-10 slices of Pancetta on a roasting tray until brown and crisp and serve as pancetta bark bling with this delicious lasagne! Will add some amazing crunch and sophistication to this dish!

TO SERVE:

For a round of applause, garnish a plate with balsamic glaze and black salt, serve up the lasagne, top with the prosciutto/pancetta bark and my petals and black salt, available from our online store. Drizzle with truffle oil and then serve with a fresh salad of pear a rocket and Parmesan.

Also found this lovely set of recipes in case you need more inspiration!  http://www.seriouseats.com/valentines-day-entrees

Happy cooking, Lovers!

PS: Make sure you tag me, @vanillazulu, in photos of your amazing creations!