One of the first dining out occasions of the year is Valentine’s Day and Paul Dickson gives some of his top tips to inspire your menu and maximise the opportunity.
At this time of year it can be a challenge to encourage customers through the door, and Valentine’s Day can be a key turning point in the calendar, paving the way for the special occasions that spring brings. These days, it’s not just romantic couples who decide to use this date as a reason to indulge. Increasingly, we’re seeing friends taking over the date and calling it things like ‘galentine’s day’, which is worth bearing in mind when you design your menu. My advice – keep it light, fun and informal. Sharing dishes are an absolute winner, creating an interactive experience and giving the opportunity to upsell sides to add to the feast.
Here are some of my favourite sharing dishes. As always, I have an eye on cost and these recipes use tinned and dry ingredients to reduce waste and keep costs down without compromising on the wow factor.
Spice things up!
We’re craving warming, comforting stews at this time of the year, and with a tagine, the warming exotic spices transport diners to the warmer climes of Morocco. It’s a perfect sharing dish and you can add on sides such as flatbreads and salads. The recipe includes dried apricots and tinned chick peas which help to add texture and flavour, whilst bulking out the dish, reducing the amount of meat required. You can also easily turn this into a vegan version.
Turn their world upside down
Not many people know this, but tarte tatin has always been one of my favourite desserts to make. It’s such a classic dish and can feel really special. Bringing this out, fresh from the oven, perfectly sized for two to share, can create a real sense of occasion. This version uses tinned pears, believe it or not, and it works perfectly. Serve with a good quality ice cream. I love Signature by Country Range Dairy Ice Cream for this.
Nothing shellfish about this dish
There’s something romantic about sharing a big bowl of delicious seafood and mussels are bang in season at the moment, making them particularly cost-effective to put on the menu. Here, I create the classic French white wine and cream sauce, but mussels are the perfect vehicle for robust flavours. Try a Thai twist using coconut milk, lemongrass and chilli.
