The way to the heart is through the stomach!

New Delhi, Feb 13

You've probably already thought about your Valentine's Day dinner plans, whether this is the first Valentine's Day you've spent with your partner or the tenth. Whether you've spent the entire day together or have just returned from an evening date, you'll be hungry by the time the sun sets. These dishes are ideal for a romantic date night or for a wonderful way to conclude the evening. Cooking together is a really enjoyable way to pass the time.

Here are some recipes curated by Swapnadeep Mukherjee, Executive Chef, The Metropolitan Hotel and Spa.

CHOCOLATE HEART PEANUT BUTTER COOKIE

Ingredients

Unsalted butter

Granulated sugar

Packed brown sugar, light or dark

Peanut butter

Large egg

All-purpose flour

Baking soda

Baking powder

Kosher salt (don't use if using salted butter)

Dark chocolate

Method:

Make the cookie dough:

Take a bowl, mix peanut butter and egg, beat unsalted butter until creamy for 2 minutes, add brown sugar and white sugar, beat for another 2 minutes. Pour this mixture in the bowl and mix well.

In another bowl, vigorously whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the sugar butter mixture.

Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Reheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

Shape the cookies

Shape the dough into 1 1/4 inch balls. Place the balls of dough about 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets (unlined sheets are fine, though you can use parchment paper to line them, if you like). Flatten in a crisscross pattern with a fork (It helps to dip the fork in sugar to keep it from sticking to the dough)

Bake the cookies:

Bake one sheet at a time on the centre rack at 375°F (190°C) until light brown for 9 to 11 minutes.

Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool in their baking sheets for a minute.

After 1 minute, transfer the cookies to a rack to cool completely.

Melt dark chocolate, pour it in a heart shaped mould and keep it in cool area.

When cookies are baked, put heart shape chocolate on top and enjoy the crunchy
chocolaty taste.

CHOCOLATE PIZZA

Ingredients:

Refined flour

Milk

Yeast

Sugar

Salt

Oil

Water

Chocolate-hazelnut spread (such as Nutella)

Chopped or semisweet chocolate

Chopped high-quality white chocolate

Chopped toasted almond

Method:

Preheat oven to 250' c. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface. Take a heart shaped pizza base cutter to give it a heart shape. Transfer dough to prepared sheet. Make indentations all over dough with fingertips. Bake until golden, for 20 minutes.

Pour chocolate-hazelnut spread over hot crust, level it. Sprinkle chopped chocolate and white chocolate over. Bake until chocolate begins to melt for 2 minutes. Sprinkle chopped almond, cut into wedges, and serve.

PANEER DILNAAZ

Ingredients

Onion Finely Chopped

Tomatoes

Whole Cashews

Ginger Garlic HYPERLINK "https://cookingfromheart.com/homemade-ginger-garlic-paste/"Paste

Butter/Oil

Green Chillies

Bay Leaf

Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder

Coriander Powder

Turmeric Powder

Kasoori Methi

Water as required

200 grams Paneer

Method

Add bit water to diced tomatoes, ginger garlic paste and cashews. Once the mixture is cooled completely, blend it into smooth paste. Set aside.

In a non-stick pan, heat butter/oil. Add dried bay leaf and fry for ten second. Add finely chopped onions and fry until translucent. Pour ground tomato, cashew paste in it and fry for 3-4 minutes.

Add some water if required and add all the masala powders-kashmiri red chilli powder, garam masala powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and turmeric powder. Add some water if the gravy is too thick. Add slit green chillies and salt. Cook for another 3-4 minutes.

Add Kasoori methi and fresh cream. Mix well. Cut paneer into thin slices and using a heart shaped cutter cut out the hearts and grate some of the paneer too. Add heart shaped Paneer pieces and mix well

Serve hot with Kulchas/Rotis/Phulkas/Naan.

Any Valentine's Day recipe you select for your special someone is likely to be the ideal choice if it is romantic, useful, or simply spectacular. Try to come up with a gesture that will serve as a reminder of your unique relationship to your loved ones. Special Valenti'e's Day Recipes curated by Divya from Intelliquo.

WAKAO FOODS AMERICAN HERBS SAUSAGE - HOT DOG

Ingredients- Hotdog buns, Wakao Sausages, Lime-cilantro Mayo, Sweetcorn, Chopped onion and tomatoes for corn salsa.

Method- Corn salsa

Mix sweet corn, chopped onion and chopped tomatoes with some lime juice and red chili powder.

Pan fry the sausages until cooked from all sides.

Slit the buns and place the sausages in them. Add some corn salsa on both sides of the
sausages

Price- INR 350

THE BETTER FLOUR - BAKED NACHOS

Ingredients

The Better Flour Robust Red Flour Blend

Cheese

Milk

Jalapenos

Sour cream

Avocado

Salt

Pepper

Method

Knead the dough with a Robust red flour blend and warm water

Roll the dough into chapatis and cut triangles

Preheat the oven to 180c temperature for 10 minutes

Brush them with oil or ghee

Bake the chips at 180c for 20 minutes until the edges start to brown

Prick it with a fork at regular intervals

For the cheese sauce:

Heat the milk and keep stirring in cheese till a the thick sauce is achieved

In a plate or a bowl layer the chips, cheese sauce and jalapenos slices

Garnish with sour cream and mashed avocados.

Serve

MEISTURWURST PORK-BAVARIAN MEATLOAF WITH CREAMY BUTTER-GARLIC CHEESY SPINACH AND MUSHROOM SAUCE

Ingredients:

6-8 slices Meisterwurst Pork Bavarian Meatloaf-1"thick

600 g whole Button Mushrooms-OR Portobello Mushrooms-thickly sliced-peeled, washed &
dried on paper towel

4-6 cloves Garlic-finely minced

1 medium Onion- finely chopped

3 cups whole Baby Spinach Leaves-washed

150-200 g Sun Dried Tomatoes in Oil-set aside 1 tbsp of the oil for use in
cooking-available in most supermarkets in cans/jars

¾ cup Fresh Parmesan Cheese-grated

2-3 tbsp Salted Butter

½ cup White Wine-any local one will suffice

1½ cup rich OR light Cream

1 tbsp Dried Mixed Italian Herbs-Oregano, Rosemary, Thyme, Basil and parsley

1 tbsp Fresh parsley-chopped

1 tsp Corn starch-Optional

1 FOR THE PORK BAVARIAN MEATLOAF

Instructions:

On medium heat, melt the butter in a skillet/wok & lightly saute the onions & garlic for about 1 min or until nicely fragrant

Add the sundried tomatoes and its oil to the butter & cook for about 2 minutes, releasing the flavours.

Now add in the whole Button Mushrooms or sliced Portobello Mushrooms and cook for 5-6 ins

Add the white wine and let the mixture reduce to half its consistency-all the while scraping any sticky bits at the bottom of the skillet

Reducing the flame to low, now you can add in the cream-simmering while stirring occasionally

Season with the salt and pepper to taste

While this simmers, add to the mix the spinach leaves, letting it wilt just sufficiently before adding the Parmesan Cheese

Allow the sauce to simmer another 1 min while the cheese melts through & the sauce thickens-if you wish to have a thicker consistency, add a milk/cornstarch mix and stir till you reach the thickness you want

Add in the herbs to the reduced and almost ready sauce-give a stir and remove from heat

Garnish with a sprinkle of Freshly chopped Parsley

Serve over sides of Creamy Smashed Potatoes/Cauliflower and Steamed String

Beans/Carrots/Broccoli/Peas or even a Vegetable and Herb Rice

--IANS