Tomorrow’s Valentine’s Day – a holiday not as popular in Germany as in the US and the UK, but whether you’re in the mood for love or not, be warned that it will still be difficult to find a table on the night unless you’ve booked. A friend of mine last year tried to reserve a table the night before and luckily ended up with the last table reservation at Ars Vini. At 4:30pm.
Forget that! Why not stay in and enjoy dinner at a decent hour! I’m going to take the opportunity to prepare a starter for a special occasion. And it doesn’t have to be a meal for two. This recipe can be easily bulked up to feed a group of friends.
I make the goats cheese wrapped in Parma ham with some roasted walnuts and apples and topped with a honey-mustard dressing. They are gently pan fried so that the goat cheese melts and the ham is crispy.
Ingredients: serves 2
1 x 250g goats cheese (cut into 6 slices)
6 slices Parma ham
1 apple (sliced into thin wedges)
Handful of walnuts (roughly chopped)
Handful of fresh rocket
Juice of half a lemon
2 tbpsn olive oil
2 tspn golden honey
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Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 5/ 190 degrees Celsius. Add the apples and walnuts to an oven dish and place in the oven for around 20 minutes.
In the meantime make the dressing by adding the honey, lemon juice and olive oil to a small mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth and place to one side until needed.
Wrap the ham tightly around each slice of goats cheese. Heat up a medium frying pan with 1 tbpsn olive oil and once hot add the goat cheese and ham to the pan. Cook on each side for around 4 minutes until the ham is crispy and the cheese is just starting to melt.
Plate up some fresh rocket. Take the apples and walnuts out of the oven and serve with the rocket. Place the goats cheese slices on top and then drizzle with the honey mustard dressing. Garnish with a bit of black pepper and serve!
For more great recipes check out A Modern Rose website!
