The Sunday Times Magazine • 41T
here is an art to cooking for
two; something that I must
admit I’m still mastering. As the
mother of two small boys I more
often find myself rustling up a
family meal for four rather than
an elegant dinner for two. But
Valentine’s Day seems like a good
excuse to do things differently.
The real trick is to get the
portion size right: you want
something that feels generous
enough on the plate to create
a sense of occasion, but not so
much food that you’re awash with
leftovers for days to come. So I
might do two poussins instead of a
roast chicken, for example, or a sea
bream for each person instead of
sea bass, which will feed the family.
My other favourites for dinners
à deux are steak (grilled in the pan
with a good sprinkling of salt and
a green salad on the side); chops
(lamb or pork, served with roasted
fruit and a few potatoes); and
scallops (served on the shell and
laden with butter and gratin). For
a vegetarian option, you can’t go
wrong with a good risotto.
As with any kind of celebratory
cooking, it feels infinitely more
enjoyable if you can do most of
the work in advance and that’s
the case with the recipes here.
The citrus salad and the tiramisu
can be taken from the fridge and
zhuzhed up with crumbled feta
or a drizzle of cherries in syrup
respectively. As to the mains:
prepare everything in its roasting
dish a good few hours beforehand,
so all you need do in the evening is
pop it in the oven and mix yourself
and your other half a good drink.Skye McAlpine
SERVES
2 peopleINGREDIENTS
1 egg
2 tbsp caster sugar
125g mascarpone
2 tbsp whole milk
2 tbsp brandy
5-6 savoiardi biscuits
4 heaped tbsp cherries in syrup,
plus extra for topping01 Separate the egg. In a spotlessly
clean mixing bowl, beat the egg
white with a handheld electric
mixer. As it begins to froth, add
half the sugar and keep whisking
until it becomes stiff and glossy.
Set to one side.02 In a second mixing bowl, whisk
the yolk with the rest of the sugar
until light, fluffy and a soft lemon
colour. Add the mascarpone to the
yolk and beat until smooth. Gently
fold in the egg white, trying to
keep in as much air as possible.03 Combine the milk and brandy
in a small cup or jug. In the bottom
of two glasses, arrange the biscuits
in a single layer (breaking them
into smaller pieces if you need to);
then drizzle a quarter of the
brandy mixture over each. Top
with a quarter of the cherries and
a quarter of the cream; repeat
with a second layer of biscuits,
brandy, cherries and mascarpone
cream. Chill before serving, then
top with one last spoonful of
cherries, if you like.Cherry tiramisu
Tiramisu is a favourite of mine,
usually made with coffee and
bitter cocoa. With this version
I steep the ladyfinger biscuits in
milk and a little brandy, then layer
them with syrupy black cherries.
As with any trifle-type dish, this
recipe serves only as a guide.