Grilled Sardines, Crispy Halloumi, Watercress Salad & Figs, Thick Chocolate Mousse

Mel’s Modifications: As most of this night will keep you within breath’s reach of your special someone, I decided to leave the sardines off the menu. I also left out the figs as they were unavailable at the store. But do what you can to get them; they are a known aphrodisiac.

Ingredients

Sardines

• 8 whole sardines (approx. 85g each), scaled and gutted
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 unit lemon
• 1 unit fresh red chilli
• unit a small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds

Salad

• 2 tablespoons flaked almonds
• 100 gram mixed bag of prewashed rocket and watercress
• 50 gram pack of alfalfa shoots
• unit 5 or 6 sprigs of fresh mint
• 1 unit pomegranate
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Halloumi

• 250 gram pack of halloumi
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 3 cloves of garlic

Figs

• 4 unit figs
• unit runny honey
• 2 sprigs of fresh mint

Seasoning

• unit olive oil
• unit extra virgin olive oil
• unit sea salt & black pepper

Mousse

• 100 gram bars of good-quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
• unit a small knob of butter
• 2 tablespoons golden caster sugar
• unit double cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
• 2 large eggs
• unit a splash of brandy, Baileys, Grand Marnier or Armagnac
• unit cocoa powder, for dusting
• 1 unit orange, clementine or a handful of strawberries

To Serve

• 6 unit pack of wholemeal pita breads
• 1 unit lemon
• unit a bottle of chilled rosé wine

Directions

Preparation

1. Get all your ingredients and equipment ready. Turn the oven on to 220°C/425°F/gas 7. Put a medium saucepan on a medium heat and fill halfway with hot water.
2. Leave the chocolate bars in their wrappers and smash them against the counter. Get a large serving bowl and 2 mixing bowls out. Tip the chocolate chunks into a heatproof mixing bowl with the butter, then place over the pan of simmering water and leave to melt, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, add 2 tablespoons of sugar to the nice serving bowl with 300ml of cream and 1 teaspoon of vanilla paste or extract and whip until silky with soft peaks. Separate the eggs, adding the yolks to the whipped cream and the whites to the empty mixing bowl. Gently mix through, then put aside. Add a pinch of salt to the whites and whisk really well until stiff. By now the chocolate should be melted, so spoon it into the bowl of whipped cream with a swig of your favourite liqueur and stir through. Gently fold the egg whites through with a spatula, then put into the freezer to set.
3. Put a medium frying pan on a medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of almonds and toast, tossing occasionally until golden, then tip into a small bowl and put the frying pan back on a low heat.
4. Put the sardines into a large roasting tray. Crush over the 4 unpeeled cloves of garlic. Sprinkle over a pinch of salt & pepper. Finely grate over the zest of 1 lemon, then squeeze in all the juice and add the halves to the tray, cut side up. Drizzle over a little olive oil. Finely slice 1 fresh red chilli and sprinkle over the top. Finely chop the parsley stalks and scatter them over, along with 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds. Roughly chop the parsley leaves and put aside. Toss with your hands. Put the roasting tray on the top shelf of the oven for around 10 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Wash your hands.
5. Cut the halloumi into 8 chunks. Scatter over the sesame seeds and press them into the halloumi. Put a lug of olive oil into the hot frying pan. Squash a few unpeeled cloves of garlic and add to the oil. Turn the heat up to medium. As soon as the garlic starts sizzling, add the halloumi to the pan. Leave to cook for 2 minutes, until golden, then flip over and turn the heat down. Tip any seeds left behind on the board into the pan.
6. Splash all the pitta breads on both sides with cold water and stack them on the bottom shelf of the oven to warm through.
7. Tip the salad leaves and alfalfa on to a platter. Finely slice the leaves from 5 or 6 sprigs of mint and scatter over, along with the toasted almonds. Halve a pomegranate, then hold 1 half cut side down in your hand and bash the back with a spoon so the seeds fall over the salad. Pour 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil into a small jug. Squeeze in the juice from the remaining pomegranate half. Add 1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar, mix, then take to the table with the salad to dress at the last minute.
8. Cut a cross in the top of each fig, then pinch the bottoms so they burst open. Pop them on a little serving board with a small bowl of runny honey in the centre. Pick over the leaves from a couple of sprigs of mint. Drizzle over a little extra virgin olive oil and add a pinch of salt. Cut the lemon into wedges, pop 1 wedge alongside the figs and take to the table.
9. Take the tray of sardines to the table with the warm pitta breads and the pan of golden halloumi. Scatter the chopped parsley over the the halloumi and serve with wedges of lemon for squeezing over and some chilled rosé. When you’re ready, take the mousse out of the freezer, quickly dust with cocoa powder and serve with wedges of orange, clementine or some strawberries on the side.