Millions of people will soon be hitting shopping centres and high streets across Britain in a bid to find the perfect Valentine's gift for their other half.
But some may be hoping to impress their loved one through their stomach on February 14 - by either going out for a meal or cooking up a feast.
For those opting for the latter, there is an important decision to be made - what romantic dish (or dishes) to serve up on the big day.
Below, three acclaimed chefs offer their expert views on what starters, main courses and desserts to make.
The recommendations of Shaun Rankin, Adam Handling and Vivek Singh were put together by Russums , a firm that sells catering equipment and supplies, last year.
And from seafood bisque flamed with brandy to chocolate brownies and raspberry chocolate fondant, they are bound to go down a treat.
SHAUN RANKIN
Michelin-starred Shaun was born in County Durham.
He told Mirror Online: "If you are looking to stay in and cook a romantic meal this Valentine’s Day, beef carpaccio is an ideal dish to start with and it’s also great for sharing.
"For main course I recommend sea bass with royal bay oysters, asparagus and confit lemon butter.
"This makes a nice light meal, while the sweet confit lemon intensifies the flavours of the dish.
"For dessert, I have to suggest warm chocolate brownies - the perfect treat to finish with."
Starter
Carpaccio of fillet with a horseradish ravoire and woodland mushroom salad
(Serves two)
Ingredients
250g beef fillet
100ml double cream
2 egg yolks
1.5 tbsp horseradish purée
Salt and cracked black pepper
½ tbsp mayonnaise
Juice of half a lemon
1.5 tbsp double cream, whipped
125g woodland mushrooms, sliced
8g unsalted butter
25g rocket and watercress salad
Olive oil
Parmesan cheese shavings, to serve
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 125°C (260°F/Gas 1).
2. Roll the beef fillet tightly in cling film so it stays in a nice cylindrical shape and place in the fridge to firm up.
3. In a saucepan, bring the double cream to the boil. Place the egg yolks in a mixing bowl, then pour the cream over the yolks and whisk continuously.
4. Add 1tbsp of the horseradish purée and whisk well. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Pour the mixture into an ovenproof terrine mould.
6. Place the terrine into a roasting tray with deep sides. Pour hot water into the roasting tray, making sure that the water only comes half way up the side of the terrine.
7. Carefully place in the oven and cook for about 35 minutes until set.
8. Once cooked, remove from the water bath, allow to cool, then place in the fridge until cold.
9. Whisk the remaining horseradish purée into the mayonnaise and add half the lemon juice.
10. Fold the whipped double cream into the mayonnaise mixture.
11. Remove the terrine from the fridge and in a bowl mix 5 parts of the horseradish bavoire to 1 part of the cream mixture. Store in a clean container in the fridge until needed.
12. Slice the beef fillet thinly with a sharp knife and arrange onto the plates (if you find it difficult to slice the beef thinly you can put the slices between 2 pieces of cling film and use a meat hammer to flatten out). Season with salt and pepper.
13. In a hot frying pan, cook the mushrooms in the butter, season and finish with the remaining lemon juice.
14. Arrange the hot woodland mushrooms and rocket and watercress salad over the beef.
Drizzle with a little olive oil, add a dollop of horseradish bavoire and scatter over Parmesan cheese shavings.
Wine Pairing
Malagousia Single Vineyard, Domaine Gerovassiliou, Epanomi, Greece 2015.
This wine is partially barrel-fermented and then matures on its lees for a few months.
It has a brilliant straw colour with greenish shades and an aroma of matured fruit such as pear, mango and citrus.
On the palate the wine has rich fruit and vegetal flavours with great minerality and a well- balanced finish. Perfect with beef carpaccio.
Main
Sea Bass Poached in Confit Lemon Butter with Asparagus and Royal Bay Oysters
(Serves two)
Special equipment
Steamer
Ingredients
125g unsalted butter
1 lemon
Salt and cracked black pepper
100g caster sugar
1 star anise
2 sea bass fillets
4 oysters, removed from their shells and the juice retained
6 asparagus spears
1 tbsp chopped chives
Method
1. To make the confit lemon butter, first put the butter in a bowl and leave to soften.
2. Grate the lemon zest and squeeze the juice from half the lemon. Add the lemon to the butter and season with salt and pepper. Mix well.
3. Put the caster sugar and 100ml of water in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
4. Slice the remaining lemon and add to the stock syrup. Add the star anise and cook on a low heat for about 20 minutes, or until the syrup is glossy and translucent. Leave to cool in the pan.
5. For the sea bass, roll out some cling film onto a board, keeping it flat and tight.
6. Place a spoonful of the lemon butter on the cling film; then place a sea bass fillet on top, skin side down.
7. Add a slice of the confit lemon, followed by another spoonful of lemon butter.
8. Fold the cling film over the mixture twice to form a parcel and tuck in the edges to make watertight.
9. Cook in a steamer for 9 minutes.
10. Remove from the steamer and carefully open the parcels at one end using a pair of scissors. Pour the juice into a saucepan and keep warm.
11. Pour the juice from the oysters into another saucepan and warm on a medium heat. Whisk in 1 tsp of lemon butter but do not bring to the boil. Add the oysters to the juice to warm through.
12. Meanwhile, snap the bottoms off the asparagus and steam for 5–6 minutes.
13. To serve, put the asparagus on the plates and place the sea bass on top. Spoon over the oysters and drizzle over some juice from the fish. Finish with a sprinkling of chopped chives.
Wine Pairing
Meursault Les Tillets, Domaine Patrick Javillier, Burgundy, France 2014.
A bouquet of lemon, green apple, wet slate, pear and a touch of baking spice and toast. On thepalate this wine is precise with driven acids, stony minerality and a fantastic oak integration. Verywell balanced, good volume and weight to match the sea bass main course.
Dessert
Double Chocolate and Macadamia Nut Brownies with Espresso Shots
(Makes 36 squares)
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