Single with no desire to mingle? It’s the perfect day to practice self-love and to treat yourself to this delicious 3-course solo dinner menu. Happy Valentine’s Day! 

Starter: Phyllo veggie parcels 

Cooking time ± 90 minutes 

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
100g mushrooms, sliced
2 baby marrows, sliced lengthways
1 brinjal, sliced lengthways
3 tbsp tinned chopped tomatoes
6 sheets of ready-made phyllo pastry, thawed
20g butter, melted
60g ricotta or cream cheese
10g Origanum or thyme, finely chopped
10g parsley, finely chopped

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and grease a muffin tray.
2. Heat oil in a pan over high heat. Fry the vegetables for about 10 minutes until al dente.
3. Stack the phyllo sheets on top of each other and cut them into 4 squares. Make a pile of squares, with 4 layers of phyllo, brushing melted butter between the layers. Repeat until you have 6 piles.
4. Divide the veggies between the 6 piles, topping each with some ricotta and herbs. Bring the edges of the pastry together and twist to form a bundle.
5. Place each bundle in a hole of the muffin tray. Bake for 12–15 minutes, until golden.
6. Serve with a green salad.   

Main course: Butternut and salmon zoodles 

Serves 1 |Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients 

100g butternut, cubed
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp honey
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
100g salmon
175g zucchini noodles
1 cup baby spinach
60 ml pumpkin seeds, toasted

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Toss the butternut with 1 tbsp oil, honey and garlic. Arrange on a baking tray and roast for 25 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.
3. Heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in a pan and fry the salmon for 4 minutes, until it is just cooked through, turning halfway. Keep it warm.
4. Cook baby marrow noodles as per package instructions, then place in a bowl.
5. Toss butternut and spinach together, and pile on top of the noodles. Flake the salmon over, scatter with the pumpkin seeds and serve. 

Quick tip: If you don’t have a spiralizer, simply shave strips from your baby marrows with your potato peeler. 

Boozy dessert: Chocolate martini 

Serves 4 |Total time 45 min + 2 hr refrigeration   

Ingredients

150g dark chocolate, chopped
3 cups Baileys Irish Cream liqueur
1 cup chocolate liqueur

Method

1. Place 4 martini glasses in the freezer. This will ensure your drink is kept perfectly chilled.
2. Carefully melt the chocolate over a double boiler or in a microwave until smooth.
3. Remove the glasses from the freezer.
4. Using a spoon, spread a layer of chocolate in the shape of a half-moon on the inside of each glass.
5. Combine the liqueurs in a cocktail shaker or screw-top jar filled with about 1 cup of ice. Shake until thoroughly chilled.
6. Strain the martini into the prepared glasses.
7. Serve your martinis with a few gingerbread stars (perfect for dipping) dusted lightly with icing sugar.  

3-ingredient chocolate mousse and quick peanut honeycomb

Serves 4 | Total Time 20 Min Plus Refrigeration Time

Ingredients

FOR THE MOUSSE

Dark chocolate, chopped 4 slabs
White marshmallows, chopped 200g Cream 2 cups

FOR THE HONEYCOMB

Peanuts, lightly salted and toasted 1⁄2 cup
Bicarbonate of soda 1⁄2 tsp
White sugar 1 cup

Method

FOR THE MOUSSE

1. Add the chocolate, marshmallows and half the cream to a large heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water.
2. Stir the ingredients until they have all melted, about 10–12 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and allow mixture to cool to room temperature.
4. In a separate bowl, whip the remaining cream until soft peaks form
5. Fold the cream into the chocolate mixture until its combined well and smooth.
6. Scoop into serving bowls or glasses and chill overnight until set.

FOR THE HONEYCOMB

1. Arrange the peanuts on a lined baking tray. Set aside.
2. Place the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Do not stir it.
3. Carefully tilt the pan from side to side to melt the sugar evenly.
4. Once the sugar turns a deep gold colour, add the bicarbonate of soda.
5. Stir to combine and pour onto the tray of peanuts.
6. Cool until honeycomb has set and hardened.
7. Break into shards and serve as a topping with the chocolate mousse.

Recipe & styling: Sjaan Van Der Ploeg
Photography: Zhann Solomons

The post Valentine’s Menu: Party of One appeared first on MyKitchen.

Cool cocktails you can stir up to kick off the festivities and wind things down.

Berry vodka soda 

Serves 4  
Total time 20 min  

Ingredients

For the berry compote  

Frozen mixed berries 2 cups 
Sugar 1 tbsp 
Lemon juice 2 tbsp  

For the soda  

Vodka 3/4 cup 
Cranberry juice 2 cups 
Ice 2 cups 
Soda water 750ml
Rosemary sprigs to serve 

Method

For the berry compote  

1. Place the frozen berries, sugar and lemon juice in a pot over medium heat.
2. Stir constantly to break up the berries. Bring to a simmer and continue to stir for 10-15 minutes until reduced.
3. Remove from heat and cool.

For the soda  

1. Put two tablespoons of the berry compote into each glass.
2. Add the vodka and cranberry juice to a cocktail shaker with some ice and shake until cold. 3. Strain into four glasses until half full. Fill the remainder of the glasses with soda water and a few blocks of ice. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary. 

Top tip
Spoon any leftover berry compote into an ice tray, fill it up with water and freeze it to make berry-flavoured ice cubes for your next summer drink.  

Peach and mango punch 

Serves 8-10
Total time 10 min  

Ingredients

Fresh peaches or nectarines 2 
Ice 6 cups 
Mango fruit juice 2L 
White wine or soda water 750ml 
Fresh mint sprigs to serve  

 Method

1. Thinly slice the peaches or nectarines and place them in a large clear bowl.
2. Add the ice. Then add the juice and the wine or soda water and stir.
3. Pluck a few leaves from some mint sprigs and scatter them over the top before serving. 

Top Tip
Soda water is a great filler in non-alcoholic cocktails. It adds a good foundation and, better still, it takes on the flavour of the main ingredient.  

Chocolate martini 

Serves 4
Total time 45 min + 2 hr refrigeration  

Ingredients

Dark chocolate, chopped 150g 
Baileys Irish Cream liqueur 3 cups 
Chocolate liqueur 1 cup  

Method

1. Place 4 martini glasses in the freezer.
2. Carefully melt the chocolate over a double boiler or in a microwave.
3. Remove the glasses from the freezer.
4. Using a spoon, spread a layer of chocolate in the shape of a half-moon on the inside of each glass.
5. Combine the liqueurs in a cocktail shaker or screw-top jar filled with about 1 cup of ice. Shake until thoroughly chilled.
6. Strain the martini into the prepared glasses.
7. Serve your martinis with a few gingerbread stars (perfect for dipping) dusted lightly with icing sugar. 

Recipe & styling: Sjaan Van Der Ploeg  

Photography: Zhann Solomons 

The post Cheers to the holidays with these festive cocktail recipes appeared first on MyKitchen.