Ingredients

Lettuce, such as iceberg or romaine etc,
Cherry tomatoes- about 8 each
2 slices of bread
Small pack of feta cheese

2 Fillets of (fish)(chicken)(quorn)-this is your choice
2 cups of Rice
1 Onion
Thyme
Carton of mushrooms such as chestnut, closed cup or wild
1 carton of double cream
white wine (optional)
Stock cube- vegetable

1 Punnet of raspberries
1 tub of Greek thick yogurt
1 small pack of plain oats
honey
1 chocolate flake
1 measure of spirit or liquor of choice such as rum, Bailey’s, whiskey etc.

Method

To prepare the salad

Take off the outer, bitter leaves of the lettuce and use the sweeter inner section. Break up the lettuce and give it a good wash, then drain well to remove all the water. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Using a small knife, cut each slice of bread corner to corner so you have 4 triangles, cut each of these in half again so you have 8 triangles. Now carefully use the small knife to shape each slice into heart shapes. Gently shallow fry these and drain on kitchen paper to remove excess grease. Dice the feta into small pieces. Mix all of these ingredients together and serve nicely on a plate with a little salad dressing if desired.

To prepare the Fillet

It is up to you as to your choice, but you can do this recipe with either fish, chicken or quorn.
Shallow fry the fillet in a little oil until lightly golden. This will be served with the sauce on a bed of rice.

To prepare the rice

Boil a little water in a pan with half a finely chopped onion and seasoning and vegetable stock cube. Wash the rice in a colander until the starch is removed and the water runs clear. Add the rice to the water and add more water if needed until the rice is just covered. Don’t overdo the water. Put the lid on the pan and steam the rice gently on the lowest light until the rice is soft and dry. If you need to add more water along the way then you can but try to keep it fairly dry or the rice will be too soggy.

To prepare the sauce

Finely chop the remaining half of onion gently fry in a pan with a little oil or butter until soft. Add the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are soft. At this point you can add wine if you wish. Add the thyme to this and to finish by adding the double cream and bringing to the boil. Simmer and allow to thicken. Add seasoning to taste.

Serve the rice onto the plate with the fillet rested on top. Coat the fillet with the sauce. Don’t go mad with the rice or sauce as presentation is everything.

To prepare the dessert

Lightly toast the oats and allow to cool. Take the raspberries, oats, Greek yogurt and a dessert spoon of honey and stir together in a bowl along with a splash of spirit of choice. Don’t beat this mixture, you need the raspberries to break up but don’t pulverize the mix. Spoon this into a tall glass and either sprinkle with crushed chocolate flake or push half a flake into the top to decorate. Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

That is your meal- the only thing to do now is lay the table and set the mood- the rest is up to you.

Happy Valentines day and whatever you do, be safe and enjoy yourselves! ♥♥♥