Valentine’s Day Meals made easy with  frozen food

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, lovers across the country will be donning an apron and taking to the kitchen to show their appreciation for that special someone. But if your culinary skills are more ‘Roy’s Rolls’ than ‘The Ritz’ – fear not, for the food experts at CoolCookery.co.uk have carefully selected a ménage of meals perfectly pre-prepared to make sure that you don’t spend the most romantic night of the year panicking in the kitchen.

Romantic Rice

Rice dishes are light and tasty but often tricky to make from scratch. To serve a little Mediterranean sunshine, why not try a Spanish Paella or Italian Risotto? Iceland’s Chicken, Prawn & Chorizo Paella (RRP £2.50) has hand-cut chicken breast, king prawns and Spanish chorizo with yellow rice, sliced peppers, tomatoes and peas. Grab a couple of packs and serve with a side salad and a glass of white or rosé wine – Spanish of course!

Take a trip to Italy and try Iceland’s Classic Italian Chicken and Mushroom Risotto (RRP £2.00) made with tender chicken breast, loto rice and a mixture of button and wild mushrooms. Serve with a sprinkle of grated parmesan and a glass of dry white Italian wine – or Prosecco if celebrations are in order!

Pucker-Up Pies

If your partner prefers hearty meals, then look no further than McDougal’s UpperCrust Gastro Pies (RRP £2.79 for two). Available in Chicken, Mushroom and Bacon and Steak in a Peppered Sauce these individual pies are encased in the finest pastry and filled to the brim with slow-cooked ingredients for added flavour.

Serve them with Aunt Bessie’s Homestyle Mash (RRP £1.30) and Birds Eye Field Fresh Select Mixed Vegetables (RRP £2.00) – a tasty mixture of crunchy carrot, green beans, peas and sweetcorn. For a vegetarian option, try Linda McCartney Mushroom and Ale Pie (RRP £1.49 for two) – a flavoursome ale and mushroom pie, with lentils and spinach, topped with a light flaky pastry.

Love Bird

Buying and preparing duck from scratch can be difficult and expensive. Let Iceland take the hassle out of it. Try Tendercooked 2 Duck Legs in Orange Sauce (RRP £5.00) and bring the restaurant experience home. Serve with McCain Roast Potatoes (RRP £1.58) and baby carrots, available from most freezer aisles.

Divine Desserts

Sweet treats are traditional on Valentine’s Day, but we’ve found some goodies that will score you more points than a cheap box of chocs. Head to the freezer cabinets and grab Coppenrath & Wiese’s Mousse au Chocolat (RRP £2.25), – white, dark and milk chocolate mousse layers combined to create a chocolate lovers dream. The ideal finish to a romantic meal for two.

If you’d like something lighter, try their Raspberry Mascarpone (RRP £2.25) – layers of light sponge, tangy raspberry and creamy mascarpone. These little delights come in fabulous clear pots revealing their tasty layered insides.

Waitrose is renowned for its quality food and its frozen desserts are no exception. For a tangy palate cleanser to wake you up after a big meal, try Waitrose Seriously Lemony 2 tartes au citron (RRP 2.69 for 2). These beautiful tarts are made with an all butter pastry and a zesty lemon filling.

For nutty chocaholics we recommend Waitrose Seriously Chocolatey Chocolate, Caramel and Hazelnut Allumettes (£4.99 for 2). Layers of crunchy feuilletine wafer, caramel ganache and dark chocolate mousse with hazelnut and pistachio pieces, finished with a dark chocolate sauce. The best thing? Both Waitrose desserts defrost in just one hour so you can pick these up on the way home.

Sweets for your sweet! Strawberries dipped in chocolate are a great valentines day treat but making your own can be very messy. Frozen berries, ready dipped in chocolate are available from Iceland for just £1. Just make sure you defrost them before giving them to your honey! Serve with something bubbly for a romantic after dinner treat.

For cheats (no, not that type!)

While there are plenty of goodies in the shops, sometimes it’s just nice not to have to do anything. Fab frozen food company, COOK, make their meals using the same ingredients and techniques you would at home but with the addition of professional chefs and fast freezers. You can buy luxury, complete meals and have them delivered to your door from their website, or find a chef and store near you to collect from.

COOK’s menu choice is vast, from COOK Classics and meals for special nights in to Guilt Free suppers if you’re keeping to that New Year’s Resolution (See last blog post here!)

New additions to their menu for Valentine’s Day include Two Beef Wellingtons (£15.99), Two Monkfish Wellingtons (£14.99) and Roasted Confit of Duck with a Juniper Berry Sauce, with cranberries and fondant potatoes (£10.99 – serves 2). Their chefs slave over each individual meal so you don’t have to. Every dish looks and tastes home-made so if you wanted to pass it off as your own, you definitely could!

For more info on COOK check out their website at www.cookfood.net.