Ever hear about The Five Love Languages? Developed by family counsellor Gary Chapman, The Five Love Languages explore the ways we express and receive love. Take our quiz to see what your food love language is: 

 1. It’s your partner’s birthday. How do you celebrate and spoil them? 

A.Wake up early and make their fav. brekkie in bed!
B. It’s just another day – the leftover pizza from last night will still be okay to eat, right?
C. Keep the element of surprise – start the morning with Eggs Benedict (which you woke up at 4am to prep), treat them to a yummy lunch and cook them a lavish dinner tonight. It’s only their birthday once a year, and nothing less than the best treats are on the menu. 

2. After a long and difficult day at work, what do you cook to cheer up your S.O.?

A. Their favourite home-cooked meal. A classic they know well is the perfect comfort food that will make them feel better in no time.
B. Who has time to cook? *Googles 5-minute meals your partner will love*
C. Stop at the supermarket after work to get the freshest ingredients and make them a delicious seafood feast. If you leave work now, you can still get those fresh scallops in time!

3. You finally go for that weekend away (yay!) what do you look forward to most about your planned menu?

A. A good ol’ braai never hurt anyone! Can’t wait for that potato salad and classic braaibroodjies.
B. What do you mean by ‘looking forward to cooking’? Hot dog rolls it is!
C. Yes! You can finally try that black squid ink pasta you’ve been dying to try. Remember to pack your finest skillet. 

4. It’s your anniversary! How will you feast your special day away?

A. Same meal every year – your own little dinner tradition.
B. A quick and easy meal, so that both of you can relax for the rest of the evening.
C. You pull out all the stops on this one.  Celebrate this milestone with a culinary feast. From tasty panna cotta to a delicious roast – nothing is too fancy for this day.

5. What special surprise treat will you leave for your partner? 

A. Is there anything better than the classic chocolate brownie for a surprise sweet treat? We think not!
B. Nutella makes everything better!
C. Pan au Chocolate will satisfy any sweet tooth – especially if you make this delicious pastry from scratch. 

6. It’s gym time! What post-workout meal are you making for your significant other?

A. Ah, pack the punch with a delicious peanut butter smoothie.
B. Whey protein shake is easy, effective, and delicious. 2 scoops, a shake and you’re good to go!
C. Dates, chia seeds, collagen, honey, spinach, celery, beetroot, with a dash of lemon – the blend of taste and fuelling nutrients has to be just right. 

7. Packing your partner’s lunch? How do you fill their lunchbox?

A. You can never go wrong with a classic BLT! And a cute note, of course.
B. A granola bar, a banana and some crisps are perfect!
C. Smoked mackerel and a Caesar salad or orange-infused duck wraps.

Mostly A’s: 

You love the classics. You spoil your partner with all their favourite meals – each one evokes a special memory. You are sentimental and know the value of a good ol’ hearty meal with meaning. Treat them to this meal the next time you celebrate: 

Classic beef lasagne 

 

Ingredients
12–16 lasagne sheets
2 cups grated cheddar

For the mince
250g bacon, chopped
2 onions, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
1 yellow pepper, seeded and chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 kg mince (½ lamb, ½ beef is ideal)
2 carrots, grated
2 × 410g tin chopped tomatoes
1 cup red wine
1 cup beef stock
1 sprig rosemary
2 tbsp chopped Origanum
Salt and pepper

For the béchamel
1 onion
4 cloves
1L milk
2 bay leaves
80g butter
⅓ cup flour
Pinch of nutmeg
Salt and pepper

Method
For the mince
1. In a large pot, dry fry the bacon until golden. Remove and set it aside
2. In the leftover bacon fat, fry the onion for 10 minutes until golden and soft. Add the garlic and peppers and fry for 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
3. Heat the oil and brown the mince, stirring occasionally.
4. When all the extra liquid has cooked out of the mince and it has some colour, add the bacon, onion and peppers. Add the remaining ingredients.
5. Leave to simmer on low heat for 2 hours.

For the béchamel 
1. Stud the onion with the cloves.
2. Place the milk, onion and bay leaves in a pot and bring to the boil. Switch off the heat and let the milk sit for 15 minutes. Strain.
3. In another pot, cook the butter and flour for 3–5 minutes. Add the milk slowly, whisking constantly. Simmer for 5 minutes, still whisking.
4. Season to taste with nutmeg, salt and pepper.

The assembly
1. Preheat oven to 180ºC.
2. Soak the lasagne in boiling water for 10 minutes.
3. Layer the components in a 20 × 20 cm ovenproof dish: one fifth of the béchamel, 3–4 lasagne sheets, a quarter of the mince.
4. Repeat 3 times, ensuring you end on a layer of béchamel. Sprinkle with the grated cheese.
5. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the lasagne is golden and bubbling.

Mostly B’s. 

The kitchen is not your favourite place – the less time you spend getting your hands dirty in front of the stove, the better. Lucky for you there are so many quick and easy recipes to spoil your S.O with – and they taste delicious. Your partner doesn’t have to know that their tasty meal took just 10 minutes to make. Fool your loved one with this delicious recipe the next time you cook for them. If they assumed you spent all day cooking – let them.  

Quick, cheap and easy hash brown pizza 

Serves 4 /Cooking time: 30 minutes  

Ingredients
4 potatoes, grated
1 egg
200g salami, sliced
1 cup white Cheddar, grated
Handful wild rocket

Method 
1. Preheat your oven grill.
2. Mix the potato with the egg until fully combined. Season the mixture well.
3. Add 2 tbsp oil to an ovenproof pan over medium heat, swirling to coat the pan. Press the potato mixture into the pan so that it fully covers the bottom. Brush more oil on top and cook undisturbed for 2 minutes.
4. Arrange the salami slices on top, sprinkle with the Cheddar and season. Grill for 5–8 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
5. Top with fresh wild rocket and serve immediately.

Recipe & styling: Leila-Ann Mokotedi
Photography: Jotham van Tonder // HMimages.co.za

Mostly C’s: 

Ah, the modern-day Julia Child. ‘Poaching’, ‘al dente’ and ‘jus’ is part of your daily vocabulary. No meal is too big of a challenge, you enjoy a fine dining experience and will do (read: cook and bake) anything to express your love for your partner. Try this recipe the next time you want to make your S.O feel extra special.  

Pork belly with spicy cranberry sauce 

 

Serves 8 

Ingredients 

1 cup vegetable oil
1.4kg pork belly
Salt and pepper
2 garlic bulbs, halved
340g cranberry jelly
¼ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp chilli flakes

Method
1. Preheat oven to 160°C and line a baking tray with foil.
2. In a small pot, heat the oil to 200°C. Season the underside of the pork well and lightly score lines into the top skin. Place the meat skin-side up on a roasting rack, with a tray underneath to catch the drips. Carefully pour the oil over it.
3. Place the garlic halves on the lined baking tray and rest the pork on top. Season well with salt. Roast for an hour, until tender.
4. Turn up the temperature to 220°C and cook for another 10 minutes, until the crackling is crisp and golden.
5. Remove from the oven and cover in foil to rest for 10 minutes.
6. In a small pot set over high heat, mix the cranberry jelly, garlic cloves and chilli. Bring to the boil, then take it off the heat and season.
7. Thinly slice the pork belly and serve with spicy cranberry sauce.