Instead of going out to celebrate a romantic occasion, rather prepare a night in. The Capital Hotel School has the best tips on how to set up a romantic indoor picnic, and they’ve also had their own chef – Chef Alicia – provide her favorite romantic meals to which you can serve your loved one on the day.
A Romantic Day In
The setting
With heavy rain in some regions and scorching heat in others – an outdoor picnic doesn’t seem to have any romantic connotations to it. That being said, you can bring the outdoors in to enjoy an indoor picnic that’ll be just as romantic and rewarding. Create a seat around the picnic table by using the comfy pillows and blankets you have lying around the house. You can add to the décor by picking flowers from the garden before placing them into empty glass bottles.
Sweet chili-rose glazed tiger prawns set on a beetroot and watermelon canvass
Aside from being filled with Omega-3 fatty acids – which can help with aging – prawns contain iodine and zinc which have the potential to boost your sex drive and libido. This rich dish is a favorite of Chef Alicia, who loves the simplicity as well as the sensuous flavors of the dish.
Makes 2 Starter portions
Preparation time: 20min
Cooking Time: 15min
Ingredients for the prawns:
- 8 x small tiger prawns, defrosted and centre vein removed
- 200ml sweet chili sauce
- 10ml rose essence
- Zest of ½ lemon
- 1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, cleaned and finely grated
- 40ml olive oil
Ingredients for the watermelon and beetroot canvass:
- 2 trimmed cross-section slices of watermelon (discs)
- 4 baby beetroot, cooked and sliced
- 2 candy-striped beetroot, washed and sliced thinly (for garnish)
- 6 edible flowers (*optional) (for garnish)
- 20g micro herbs, rinsed (for garnish)
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Preparation Method:
1. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil.
2. Once boiled, carefully lower the cleaned prawns into the water and blanch at boiling point for approximately 4-5min, depending on the size of the prawns you choose.
3. Once the flesh has firmed up when touched and the outer shell turns a distinctive orange-pink, refresh the prawns by placing them in a bowl of ice water. This will ensure that the vibrant color is maintained.
4. Combine the remaining ingredients for the glaze and stir well.
5. Meanwhile, heat a non-stick frying pan to almost the smoking temperature and add a drop of oil. Now, carefully place the prawns in the pan for about 30-45 seconds until a golden color forms on one side. Turn each prawn over and spoon a generous amount of glaze over the prawn tail. Turn the prawn tails now in the glaze and allow it to get a little sticky.
6. Remove from the pan and serve hot or at room temperature.
For assembly:
1. Place the watermelon slices in the centre of 2 deep dish white plates. Arrange the beetroot in a linear or star pattern on top of the watermelon slices.
2. Working with both hands, arrange the glazed prawns in a standing position, on the watermelon canvass, by interlocking 2 tails at a time.
3. Strategically garnish with the remaining candy-striped beetroot, edible flowers, and micro herbs.
Should you suffer from shellfish allergies, you can substitute the prawn with deboned chicken thigh pieces. Simply marinate the raw chicken thighs in a sweet chili glaze, sear off in a non-stick frying pan, and hereafter complete with cooking in a hot oven at 200 C for 10-15. Remove from the oven and brush with the remaining sweet chili-rose glaze.
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