If you’re planning to create a special meal for your loved one on Valentine’s Day, why not go for something a little different with this coffee-themed menu?
Starter (all quantities serve two)
Chicken with coffee marinade
You’ll need:
- Two skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
- 1 tablespoon freshly-ground coffee beans
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon liquid honey
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Mix all the marinade ingredients together to a paste, then stir in the chicken, making sure the strips are evenly covered. Cover the bowl, and leave it in the fridge for a couple of hours or preferably overnight. Fry the chicken until cooked through, and serve with green salad.
Main course
Beef and mushroom casserole with coffee
You’ll need:
- About half a kilo of braising steak, cut into chunks
- 1 red onion, peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 6 – 8 mushrooms, sliced
- 25g/1oz butter
- 25g/1oz flour
- 290ml/1/2 pint red wine
- 290ml/1/4 pint coffee, made from freshly-roasted coffee beans
- Beef stock
- Oil, for frying
Preheat the oven to 150 degrees centigrade. Fry the steak with a little oil until the meat is sealed, then remove it from the frying pan and place it in an ovenproof casserole dish. Fry the onion in the butter until soft and golden, then stir in the flour. Add the wine and coffee, and bring the mixture to the boil. Pour the liquid over the beef and add enough stock to completely cover the meat. Stir in the garlic. Place in the oven for around 3 – 3 1/2 hours. Half an hour before the end of the cooking time, stir in the mushrooms. Serve with rice or mashed potatoes and green vegetables.
Pudding
Chocolate Coffee Mousse
You’ll need:
- 140g/5oz good quality dark chocolate
- 60g/2oz icing sugar
- 115g/4oz mascarpone
- 60ml/2fl oz strong espresso coffee
- white of one large free-range egg
Break the chocolate into pieces, and carefully melt it in the microwave. Allow to cool slightly. Whisk the egg white until it stands up in peaks, and in a separate bowl beat together the mascarpone, sugar and coffee. Carefully beat the chocolate into the mascarpone mixture, then fold in the egg white, taking care to keep as much volume as possible. Pour into espresso cups, and leave in the fridge to set.