Romance, food and getting in the mood…

Above: Tony Tobin has two restaurants, POST and The Dining Room, where you can sit down to some great food and drink.

Would-be romantic chefs across the county will already be considering how to cook up that perfect evening of passion this month. But, before rushing out for that big bag of oysters, why not first consider the culinary wisdom of resident celebrity chef TONY TOBIN

I fell in love with food aged five or six. I stood in my mother’s kitchen as she magicked classic Irish dishes out of near nothing for me and the rest of my family, conjuring along the way a robust alphabet of smells, textures and tastes that set me on the journey to a lifelong love affair with cooking.

Now, for couples (current or potential), February is definitely the month of love. Saint Valentine – whether he intended it or not – has his eponymous celebration of personal love in the middle of these 28 eros-inspired days. Although both sexes indulge their romantic sides, the effect is strongest among smitten men of all ages. Let’s face it, men are not normally known for their planning or foresight but they secretly set about organising their coups d’amour any time from January onwards. Cards are bought, restaurants are booked and strategies of love are rehearsed with an uncharacteristic attention to detail. These exploits are often so elaborate that one can imagine a David Attenborough commentary marvelling at the lengths to which the male of the species goes to attract his potential mate!

Maybe we all respond so willingly to the prompt of St Valentine’s because this is a cold, dank time of year when the soul inevitably begins to yearn for a warm heart after months of darkness and precious little excitement since Christmas.

The food of love...

For me, there are just three basic ingredients for the best romantic evenings: two people and fantastic food. You might be tempted by a spot of cynicism and say that it is just the restaurateur in me talking, but long experience tells me it’s true. Shakespeare famously wrote “if music be the food of love...” but music isn’t the food of love, food is! Romantic evenings always involve candles, coy looks, games of footsy and cheeky smiles, but it is food that provides both the context and the catalyst for romance.

Now, shamelessly, I would of course encourage you to use the services of a fine restaurant to take care of the culinary side of any romantic meal. This removes the need for shopping, preparing and – most importantly – washing up. However, I would also urge you all to investigate the pleasures of romantic cooking for yourselves. Like the thatcher who can stand back and admire the care and graft that has gone into his roof, or the jeweller who alone knows the hours that have gone into a beautiful brooch, the chef who is motivated by romance can take an extra special pleasure in the effect of their food.

Top tips for success...

I have three key tips for the would-be romantic chef: 1) Not too heavy 2) Simple and beautiful 3) Chocolate. There is actually a fourth but it is more of a warning: avoid oysters, they may be famed for their aphrodisiac qualities but they are frankly overrated and if you need an aphrodisiac for romance, you have enough problems without adding shellfish into the equation!

When I say “not too heavy”, I mean simply that you should avoid big steaks, stews and mounds of mashed potato or pasta. Three words that don’t belong at the end of a romantic meal are, “God, I’m stuffed”. Your main course should be light, simple and a joy to behold on the plate – let alone taste in the mouth. This is one occasion where less is definitely more.

Two great ideas for light melt-in-the-mouth main courses are lamb loin fillets and scallops. The lamb fillets can be cut into small medallions, browned-off in a pan and then popped in the oven. Then take the juices in the pan and mix in redcurrant jelly, Dijon mustard and a little cream before returning the medallions to the pan to finish it off. Serve this with crushed new potatoes and pan-fried leeks for something only just this side of heaven.

Scallops are ideal because they can be cooked to perfection in a matter of minutes. They ooze decadence in their texture and flavour and tick the all important ‘light and delicious’ boxes!

However, it is the chocolate dessert that seals the deal. Romance and chocolate are intimately entwined and a glass of beautiful dessert wine and a light chocolate fondant, to my mind, make the best overture to a good snog that the human race has ever devised.

To make the perfect fondant, simply follow the recipe in the breakout box and remember to serve it with a small spoon and a light dusting of icing sugar. When prepared well, it should be light and fluffy but still full of all the romantic chemicals that chocolate is famed for.

So that’s it. You can, of course, go to whatever lengths you like with lighting, candles, music and what you choose to wear but on the culinary front, remember that the best amuse-bouche for any romantically-inclined couple is quite simply a kiss!

Tony's Recipe
CHOCOLATE FONDANT
Serves four (so keep some for the following day!)

Ingredients: 

•  4oz dark chocolate
• 4oz butter
• 1 egg
• 1½oz caster sugar
• 1½oz dark brown sugar
• 2oz plain flour
• A large tablespoon of good cocoa powder

Method:

• Melt the chocolate and add in the butter. 
•  Stir till smooth and allow to cool.
• Beat the egg and slowly add in the sugars while still beating. Continue to beat until it resembles meringue, then fold it through the chocolate gently to preserve the air in the mixture.
• Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the chocolate mixture and very gently fold through.
• Pipe or spoon the mixture into ramekins that have been very lightly sprayed with cooking oil.
• Cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least three hours.
• Remove the cling film and place into an oven preheated to 180ºC for 14 minutes.
• Put the ramekin on a plate decorated with thin-piped chocolate or raspberry coulis and shake icing sugar over the whole lot. Serve with a flourish!

Tony Tobin has been a regular on the BBC’s Ready Steady Cook for over a decade and runs two acclaimed restaurants in Surrey: The Dining Room in Reigate and POST in Banstead.

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