Love is in the air. But this time of year there is usually smoke in the air, too, as hassled wooers strive to cook the ultimate impressive dinner to show their loved ones how much they care. I love when someone cooks for me. There really is nothing nicer, from an unexpected piece of toast handed to me as I head out the door to a platter of lobster surrounded by samphire and cockles, which was particularly unforgettable. The food is important but so is the atmosphere. It has to be relaxed and calm, with no stress or cursing about oven temperatures. So my best advice is to play it safe.
No matter how confident you are in the kitchen, it’s always good to stick to something simple and plan ahead when you want a relaxing night in.
My dinner this Valentine’s night will be freshly cooked lobster with homemade chips, mayonnaise and brioche rolls. Lobster is very easy to cook once done correctly, as are rustic oven-cooked wedges of potato, crispy and salt strewn.
With a chilled glass of something bubbly there really is nothing nicer. This time of year, champagne corks are popping, but why not check out other pleasant and more affordable options such as an English sparkling wine from Wiston Estate or even an Irish sparkling cider?
David Llewellyn, who is based in Dublin, makes a perry with his own Irish pears, which would be a fantastic alternative to champagne. His perry is bottle-fermented to give a nice champagne-style sparkle, and it is quite dry, with just the slightest hint of natural residual sweetness. He produces a very limited amount, and it's only available through Llewellyn's Orchard (Llewellynsorchard.ie). Perry is more delicate and fragrant than cider and it is great paired with crab, scallops and prawns as well as chicken and pork, especially if you are already including fruit (serving roast pork with apple sauce, for example). It's also a lovely way to finish a meal, and some of the sweeter styles can be served as a dessert wine.
For this week’s dinner for two I have chosen black-pepper steak and chips. It’s a safe bet for most and a lovely way to season steaks. The simple pepper sauce is delicious and goes perfectly with the shoestring chips. You can make the more rustic wedges in the oven if you like, but it is very rewarding to dunk a little bunch of these skinny fries in pepper sauce. Add a splash of cognac to the sauce if you have some. Instead of tomatoes you could serve wilted spinach or steamed broccolini.
While you cook the steaks, you can turn the oven off, as it will still keep the tomatoes and chips warm. Put the plates in the oven to warm them up too. Food served on a hot plate by someone you love in a candlelit room always seems to taste nicer.
BLACK-PEPPER STEAK AND CHIPS: SERVES 2
The five ingredients
- 2 beef fillets
- Black peppercorns
- 60ml crème fraîche
- 4 large potatoes
- 2 vines of cherry tomatoes
From the pantry
- 2tbs butter
- 60ml water or beef stock
- Coarse sea salt
- Olive oil
- Sunflower oil
Method
To roast the cherry tomatoes, simply coat in a little oil and place in a hot oven (200 degrees) for five to 10 minutes until the skins begin to burst. Then put the oven to its lowest setting to keep the tomatoes warm.
Peel and slice the potatoes into matchstick-sized pieces. Rinse well in a bowl of cold water, then drain and pat dry on a tea towel. Heat three inches of sunflower oil in a deep frying pan until it sizzles when a small piece of bread is added. Fry the potatoes in batches, taking care not to overload the pan, as the oil will bubble over. Each batch only takes four or five minutes until crisp and golden. Remove the chips using a slotted spoon, season and place on a tray lined with paper in a warm oven while you cook the steaks.
Mix about two tablespoons of crushed black peppercorns and two teaspoons of salt flakes on a small plate. Coat the fillet steaks entirely so that the meat is completely covered.
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan. Fry the steaks for three to four minutes on each side, depending on how you want them cooked.
Set aside, cover and keep warm. In the same pan, add 60ml water and scrape the sides clean, keeping any peppery seasoning that is left behind. Add the crème fraîche, leave to bubble for a few seconds, then remove from the heat. Taste for seasoning. You may need to add a pinch of salt or some finely crushed pepper.
To serve, place a mound of chips on each plate, along with a vine of tomatoes and the steak. Serve the pepper sauce on the side.
Every Thursday we’ll tweet the five ingredients from @irishtimeslife so you can have them ready for Friday. Email givemefive@irishtimes.com with your suggestions for recipes.
