Top 8: Valentine's Day dinners that won't break the bank
There are plenty of good takeaways around the country, and, as with our Top 8, it’s about how you dress them up.
Valentine's Day, Galentine's Day, a Me-vening in.
Whatever the reason, let’s see how we can have a night off from cooking without spending a fortune.
If nothing else, the idea of little or no washing up is a plus. And falling on a working day, albeit at the start of the weekend, a ready meal that just needs to be heated is worth investigating.
There are plenty of good takeaways around the country, and, as with our Top 8, it’s about how you dress them up.
For a quick starter, make some crostini from delicious bread, toasted, drizzled with olive and salt, or mushrooms cooked in olive oil with chopped garlic.
Try grating some seasonal raw beetroot and mixing it with a little balsamic vinegar and cream cheese or Greek yoghurt for an easy, colourful spread.
Roast some carrots cut lengthways (to speed up cooking and keep their flavour) in the air fryer for 10 minutes with a sprinkle of cumin. Mash and add to your favourite hummus for a slightly sweeter take on the classic.
Use your best glasses and tableware. Open a good bottle of wine or sparkling juice and live in the moment.
Scatter the table with dried leaves, light a few candles, and turn off the television. It’s good to talk.
Heady, freshly spiced aromas greet you in this new South Indian takeaway or dine-in.
I chose the delicious Malwa Puri comprising two puri (deep-fried breads) and semolina halwa – both perfect foils for freshly spiced chana (chickpeas) and spiced potatoes.
A generous serving for one. It is a great, top scoring find.
- 35 Washington Street, Cork, with delivery by Deliveroo.
- Score: 10
One serving here is generous, with flavoursome chicken and rich, firm chestnut mushrooms.
The sauce is well-flavoured with bacon, wine and tarragon. The basmati mixed with a little wild rice have good texture. A complete dish for one.
- Score: 8.75
Plenty of flavours here in a well-flavoured coconut-based sauce. Indiscernible anchovy delivers a delicious savouriness (umami), adding depth to the non-descript chicken.
Basmati rice is flavoured with chilli, lime leaves, garlic, and ginger. The dish includes chopped carrots, celery, onion, and yellow peppers. Pleasant and complete.
- Score: 8
The Valentine’s Day Dine In collection will be available next week, so we looked at other options, including this tasty mix of good quality beef with beansprouts, pak choi, mushrooms, spiced up with red chillies, ginger and a nice bang of sesame seed oil.
Salt at 0.83% was surprisingly low, given the umami-type flavours. Serves one. Tasters also enjoyed the Indian Takeaway Favourites (good value @ €16.50 for two).
- Score: 9
On a cold evening, this dish is hard to beat. If your Valentine’s night has to be shared with children, this crowd-pleaser may be the best option.
It has fresh pasta from nearby Iago and a meaty sauce made with canned tomatoes (not heavier passata) layered with béchamel sauce and topped with parmesan-style cheese from Toonsbridge Dairy.
Enjoyed by all tasters. From the shop in English Market Cork.
- Score: 9.5
Sometimes, you feel like tucking into the sweetness of sweet and sour, and this pork dish fits the bill.
It comes fully cooked in a pouch, with a portion of uncooked basmati rice. The pork is reheated in a saucepan while the rice is cooked in the bag.
Pineapple concentrate provides sweetness (13.3% sugars are high), while ginger, peppers, vinegar, turmeric extract, tomato purée and garlic provide the sour element.
- Score: 7
The long, slow cooking is done for us with these tender lamb shanks.
Shred the meat and add to a tomato-based pasta sauce with grated carrot, celery, and cubed butternut squash.
A chopped salted lemon makes it quite special. (Iago and Mr Bells stock them).
Heat in a saucepan for 15 minutes before adding to drained, cooked, thick pasta (penne, rigatoni, pappardelle). Mix, and add baby spinach before serving.
- Score: 8
We were attracted to this traditional French dish, expecting far richer wine flavours and an extra flash of brandy, which is usually ignited.
It could improve with a glass of wine added and at least another 30 minutes in the oven at 160C to further tenderise the meat. Serves two.
We were impressed with the slow-cooked beef ribs (€10), which have more tender, tasty meat.
- Score: 7.5
