For Valentine, restaurants may be too crowded for an intimate meal with your loved one, making it the perfect time to have a cosy meal in the comfort of your home. This month of love, we have put together a Valentine’s Day dinner meal plan that will leave you sizzling with desire and make your date one to remember.

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Appetiser: Mashed Meaty Potato Pancakes

Ingredients

• 6 cups cold mashed potatoes
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 large egg
• 3 cups ground meat
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 1 large carrot, grated
• 1 garlic clove, chopped finely
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
• ½ cup fine breadcrumbs

Instructions

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tbsp olive oil and ground meat and saute, breaking it up. Season with 1 tsp salt and a pinch of pepper. Remove to a separate dish.

2. In the same skillet, add 2 tbsp oil then add onions and carrots. Stir over medium heat for five minute. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Return meat with juices to the pan.

3. Add garlic and chopped parsley, stirring for one minute. Remove from heat.

4. Stir together mashed potatoes with egg and flour. Place a rounded ice cream scoop of mixture into a well-floured hand and pat it into a disk. Sprinkle with flour to keep it from sticking to your hand.

5. Place 1 tbsp of filling into the centre and pinch the edges together to seal. Dip stuffed pancake in bread crumbs, turning to coat. Pat the stuffed pancake into a flat disk.
6. In a large non-stick pan over medium heat, coat the bottom of the pan with oil. Once hot, cook pancakes for 3-4 minutes per side or until golden. Repeat with remaining pancakes adding more oil as needed.
7. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels and serve warm.

Main Course: One-pan salmon with roast asparagus

Ingredients

• 400g Irish potatoes, halved if large
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 8 asparagus spears (Baladi or Mwinika-nguru), trimmed and halved
• 2 handfuls cherry tomatoes
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 salmon fillets, about 140g/5oz each
• 1 handful basil or scent leaves

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 220C. In an ovenproof dish, toss the potatoes and 1 tbsp of olive oil, then roast for 20 mins until starting to brown. Toss the asparagus in with the potatoes, then return to the oven for 15 mins.

1. Throw in the cherry tomatoes and vinegar and tuck in the salmon amongst the vegetables. Drizzle with the remaining oil and return to the oven for 10-15 mins until the salmon is cooked.

3. Scatter over the basil leaves.

4. Serve everything scooped straight from the dish.

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