Celebrate the month of love with recipes that blush in romantic reds – designed to make every bite feel like a delicious love letter. 

 

1. French toast with yoghurt & balsamic strawberries 

Serves 4-5 

 

Ingredients 

For the balsamic roasted strawberries:  

¼ cup honey (or castor sugar) 
¼ cup balsamic vinegar 
2 tsp vanilla essence or seeds of 1 vanilla pod 
650g strawberries, halved  

 

1 Ouma bread loaf, cut into 8-10 slices 
3 eggs 
2 shakes ground cinnamon 
¼ cup milk 
Butter and oil for frying 
2 cups plain double-cream yoghurt 
Sugar or honey, to sweeten 
Lemon zest  

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
2. Combine honey (or caster sugar) and balsamic vinegar with vanilla essence (or seeds). Toss balsamic mixture through the strawberries.  
3. Transfer mixture to a baking dish and roast for 25-30 minutes, shaking the tray or dish (not stirring) every 10-15 minutes. Set aside.  
4. For the toast, mix together the eggs, milk and cinnamon.  
5. Heat a pan over medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil and a knob of butter. (Combining the two will ensure the butter doesn’t burn, but browns.)  
6. Dip bread in the egg mixture, ensuring bread is covered with egg all over but not drenched. Fry 1-2 slices at a time in the butter until golden brown on both sides. Remove and repeat with the remaining bread.  
7. Sweeten your yoghurt with honey or caster sugar, if you like.  
8. Serve toast topped with yoghurt and warm berries on the side.

 

Recipe & styling: Liezl Vermeulen
Photography: Zhann Solomon 

 

2. Tomato, mozzarella & pomegranate salad

 

Serves 6  

 

Ingredients 

160g rocket and watercress salad mix
400g tomato medley, sliced
1-2 fresh mozzarella balls
100g pomegranate rubies
Handful of dill, leaves torn
1 packet (60g) store-bought croutons 

 

For the salad dressing: 

⅓ cup avocado oil
3 Tbsp red wine or pomegranate vinegar
1 finely grated garlic clove
2 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and milled pepper

 

Method 

1. Place the salad leaves in a serving bowl or platter.
2. Arrange tomato and mozzarella on the salad. Sprinkle with pomegranate, dill and croutons. 
3. Whisk together dressing.Toss dressing through the salad just before serving.  

 

Recipe & styling: Lichelle May
Photography by: Zhann Solomons 

 

3. Frikkadels on unbeatable beetroot raita 

Serves 4-6 

 

Ingredients  

For the frikkadels  

1 packet (500g) lamb or beef mince 
1 onion, finely chopped 
2 cloves garlic, minced 
¼ cup breadcrumbs 
1 egg, whisked 
2 lemons, zested and juiced 
1 tsp each ground cumin and cardamom 
½ tsp cinnamon 
Handful chopped fresh mint, parsley and coriander 
Salt and milled pepper 
Oil, for frying  

 

For the raita  

3-4 cooked beetroots, grated 
1 cup plain double-cream yoghurt 
1 Tbsp olive oil 
Squeeze lemon juice 
½ tsp ground cumin 
1-2 green chillies, deseeded and chopped (optional) 
Chopped salad, rocket or micro herbs, for serving 

 

Method 

1. Combine the frikkadel ingredients and season. 
2. Roll into golf ball-sized balls (about 5cm) and chill in the fridge for 15-30 minutes.  
3. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. 
4. Fry frikkadels for 10-12 minutes, until they are golden-brown all over and cooked through. 
5. Combine raita ingredients and season. 
6. Spread raita on a platter, top with frikkadels and salad, and serve.

 

Recipe & photographs courtesy of Fresh Living magazine

 

4. Ruby stone fruit fridge cheesecake

 

Serves 8 

 

Ingredients  

For the base   

1 packet (200g) ginger biscuits 
1/3 cup (80g) butter, softened   

 

For the filling   

2 tubs (175g each) medium-fat cream cheese 
1 cup (200g) castor sugar 
1 punnet (100g) raspberries 
½ cup (125ml) cream 
1 tsp (5ml) vanilla essence  

 

For the topping  

3 plums, thinly sliced 
3 nectarines, thinly sliced 
1 punnet (100g) fresh raspberries 
Handful pomegranate rubies  

 

Method  

1. Blitz the biscuits in a food processor to a fine crumb. Add the butter and mix to combine. 
2. Press the mixture into a 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Chill until set.  
3. Blitz together the cream cheese, half the sugar and raspberries. Add a splash of milk if needed.  
4. Whisk together the cream, remaining sugar and vanilla to stiff peaks in a separate bowl. 
5. Whisk a third of the cream mixture into the cream cheese mixture. Then gently fold in remaining cream.  
6. Spoon the mixture over the biscuit base and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
7. Before serving, decorate tart with sliced fruit (shaped into spirals or roses), berries and pomegranate rubies. Serve cold.

 

Recipes & photos courtesy of Fresh Living magazine

Also read: 3 Mexican dishes to turn mealtime into a fiesta