With Valentine’s Day on a Tuesday this year, we expect the restaurants will be fully booked for dinner. But if you are the sort of romantic that likes to put your own spin on things, make a special brunch on the Sunday before Valentine’s Day. This will give you the chance to impress in the kitchen, and make an intimate meal just for the two of you.
Here are a few of our best recipes for Valentine’s Day Brunch.
1. Bacon and Onion Tarte
We like this version of Andre Soltner’s famous Tarte Flambée for parties. But the buttery puff pastry (store bought makes it easy), salty ventrèche and luscious crème fraȋche make it an irresistible option for brunch.
2. Eggs Poached in Spicy Tomato Sauce with Andouille & Peppers
Scale this recipe down for two, and make each serving in a little 6-inch skillet. Now that’s romantic. In our riff on shakshuka, andouille sausage adds richness and spice while red bell peppers lend sweetness. Warm bread or pita is great accompaniment, as is strong Turkish coffee.
3. Baked Eggs en Cocotte with Wild Mushrooms
Earthy mushrooms and fragrant black truffle butter make this classic dish a standout! Easy enough to make on the fly, yet impressive enough for a special occasion, this will become your new favorite brunch recipe.
4. Dutch Baby Pancake with Candied Bacon
Part-pancake, part-custard, part-soufflé, and totally delicious – this Dutch baby with candied bacon is what brunch dreams are made of. So easy – it comes together quickly – that you will have plenty of time for that freshly-squeezed orange juice.
5. Foie-ffles: Strawberry Waffles with Seared Foie Gras & Balsamic Syrup
Waffles are all the rage, but how many people will get homemade foie-ffles for Valentine’s Day? You can be one of the lucky ones. Our recipe combines seared foie gras with fresh strawberry waffles, strawberry sauce, and tart balsamic syrup. So Instagrammable.
6. Foie Gras Crème Brûlée
Creamy, sweet custard is enriched with foie gras in this luxurious recipe, made for two. You could serve it as a dessert or an appetizer – or as we suggest, at brunch – with toasted brioche and Sauternes. Check our previous blog post for step-by-step photos of the process.
Do you make brunch at home? What are the brunch dishes that make your heart go pitter-patter? Share with us here, or head over to social media. You can find @dartagnanfoods on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.We like to see what’s cooking, so snap photos of your kitchen triumphs and tag us.