A word to the wise: some Valentine’s traditions deserve to stay. Candlelight and flowers, we’re looking at you. But everything else? Consider it rainchecked. This is a day for feeding the person you adore thoughtfully and well, from morning to midnight.
Breakfast
Lemon & Ricotta Hotcakes With Blueberry Syrup
Waitrose
Start the day with a little romance (and a touch of drama) courtesy of these lemon and ricotta hotcakes. Lighter and more sophisticated than your standard pancake stack, they feel properly special without being overly complicated. No paramour could fail to be impressed by a stack of these doused in cardamom syrup. Exactly what breakfast in bed should be. Get the recipe.
Lunch
Whipped Goats Cheese With Baked Fig
Oliver Magazine
Keep lunch simple, elegant and unfussy – nothing too heavy at this stage. This dish looks beautiful on the plate but takes minimal effort, always a winning combination. Creamy cheese, warm figs and a drizzle of honey – it looks effortlessly impressive. Just as you will should you rustle up so resplendent a plate on this most passion-filled of days. Get the recipe.
Teatime
Valentine’s Day Surprise Inside Cupcakes
Great British Chefs/ Nisha Thomas
One of the thrills of cooking for a beloved lies in the element of surprise. These cupcakes deliver that in the sweetest of ways: by concealing a heart inside the sponge interior, only visible when he or she bites straight in. And why not? You can’t beat a little bit of Valentine’s theatre. Get the recipe.
Aperitivo Hour
Passionfruit Martini
BBC Food
A little bit sweet, a little bit sour, full of passion: the perfect concoction, surely, for Valentine’s Day. Topped off with a little dash of prosecco, and it’s an absolute mood setter. Consider it your bridge between daytime indulgence and dinner proper. Get the recipe.
Dinner
Starter
Oysters With Ginger Japanese Dressing
Olive Magazine
No romantic menu is complete without oysters somewhere in the mix. This version adds punchy ginger, soy and salmon roe for a modern twist on the classic aphrodisiac. Fresh, delicate and suitably luxurious. Get the recipe.
Main
Steak Diane
BBC Good Food
Sometimes classics are classics for a reason. Tender steak in a silky sauce, crisp chips and a properly good glass of red wine make for an unfailingly romantic combination. Comforting, confident cooking – and very hard to resist. Get the recipe.
Pudding
Chai Hot Chocolate With Spiced Waffle Dippers
Delicious Magazine
Made for sharing, this luxuriously spiced chai hot chocolate feels indulgent without being overly rich, while the waffle dippers add a playful, slightly nostalgic note. It’s cosy, generous and perfectly suited to migrating to the sofa as the evening winds down. Get the recipe.
