Valentine's Day. Some people love it. Others hate it. Some just don’t really notice it. Whatever your emotions are on this day, you still need to eat. The fact of the matter is that if you go out for dinner, you will be stuffed into a tiny table amongst couples that seem veryyyy in love. You will be given food off a set menu, chooffed out the door after your seating has finished (seating’s at 6:00, 7:30 and 9:00) and the whole thing will cost you a minimum of $100, if you’re lucky. Don’t be that piglet, lock your doors, put on a silk shift and press play on Barry White. This Little Pig says, stay at home pigletto and it has just the meal for a romantic piglet to cook another piglet – if that was your thing.
This Little Pig did a test run of Valentine's Day yesterday, to make sure it had a meal up it’s sleeved trotter that could help out the un-confident chef in the kitchen who wants to stay at home and create a delight for their loved one. This fine swine popped a little Celine Dion, “All By Myself” on the stereo, poured itself a glass of sparkling (from champagne comes inspiration) and then threw together some beautiful, yet simple ingredients that created such a divine dish that This Little Pig was glad it was alone, as no sharing was then required (hello 6 lamb chops!). This meal focuses on the fabulous produce and has such complex, sweet, salty flavours that it is truly surprising how little time and effort it takes to make.
So try out this gorgeous fare that will have taste buds bursting and heart beats racing. This romantic dinner will not let you down, even if you are less than confident in the kitchen or get a little nervous around your significant other. Pour out the wine, scatter the rose petals and roll yourself in prosciutto, things are about to get delicious. Oink.
Prosciutto Wrapped Lamb Cutlets with a Fig & Buffalo Mozzarella Salad Finished with Fresh Raspberries and a Dark Chocolate Sauce.
Feeds: 2 Romantic Piglets
Prep Time: 20 Mins. Cooking Time: 8 Mins.
Ingredients for Romantic Lamb:
6 x Lamb Cutlets
80g x Parma Ham or Prosciutto (wafer thin slices please piglets)
2 x Sprigs Rosemary
1/2 x Tsp Chilli Powder
1 x Tbsp Olive Oil
Ingredients for Salad:
4 x Figs
120g x Mesclun Mixed Greens
125g x Buffalo Mozzarella - The lovely soft white one in brine (also known at TLP as Brian, if you know you know)
½ x Basil Bunch
Scrunch of pepper
Ingredients for Salad Dressing:
1 x Tbsp Honey
1 x Tbsp Olive Oil
1 x Tbsp Lemon Juice
Ingredients for Divine Dessert:
125g x Fresh Raspberries
20g x Good Quality Dark Chocolate
100ml x Double Cream
1 x Tbsp Butter
10g x Mint Bunch
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How to Make Romance:
The Sexy Salad:
- In a bowl scatter your mesclun greens.
- Take your figs and slice a crisscross into them, not going entirely to the bottom. If you slice down too far the fig will open up in a very suggestive, spread-eagled fashion and This Little Pig thinks that might be a bit much, even on Valentine's day, but completely up to your discretion piglets.
- Nestle your figs amongst the leaves and then rip up your buffalo mozzarella into bite-sized chunks and scatter over the salad.
- Pull your basil leaves of the stem and rip into smaller pieces and scatter over.
- Mix up your salad dressing of lemon juice, olive oil and honey (1 Tbsp each) and then drizzle over the top with a good scrunch of pepper.
The Luscious Lamb:
- Lay out your prosciutto on a board and place 1 lamb cutlet in the middle of each prosciutto wafer.
- Take a pinch of chilli powder and sprinkle on each cutlet along with a few rosemary leaves (not too much or he overpowers).
- Wrap your prosciutto firmly around your lamb chops.
- Heat fry pan with your olive oil (1 Tbsp) and then once hot to trot, place your lamb cutlets in for 2 mins either side or until prosciutto is crisp and golden and the cutlets are pink.
- Serve your salad on a glorious platter with a beautiful bowl full of your crispy lamb cutlets with a decadent and romantic flourish, perhaps a little 2 step forward, 1 step back, 2 step forward dance move as you approach the table.
The Decadent Dessert:
- Pour your fresh raspberries into a beautiful serving bowl and rip the mint leaves over the top of them.
- Heat up your butter gently in a small pot until melted - but don't let it burn, then crumble in your dark chocolate and let it melt on a low heat.
- Once melted, take it off the heat and gently whisk in your cream until all mixed.
- Pour into a lovely dish and serve with a sprig of mint on top and a fabulous glass of red to accompany it.
- Simple, yet perfect. Now pop on a little Enya and get up for a romantic dance in between popping raspberries dipped in dark chocolate into your mouth. Oink!
