A three-course meal for your valentine

 

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, we checked in with our friends at Grace Foods, and with the help of Chef Christian Sweeney, we have some ideas on how to add 'Flava with a Beat' to some special meals for you and yours.

Chef Sweeney prepared a three-course meal that includes sweetheart corn fritters with Grace Hot & Spicy Mayo, grace coconut shrimp bean pasta, and a delicious Butter Almond bread pudding with caramel sauce.

 

Sweetheart Corn Fritters

 

Ingredients

1 cup flour

1/3 cup Grace Cornmeal

1/4 cup cornstarch

1tbsp baking powder

1/2 can Grace Whole Kernel Sweet Corn rinsed and drained

1/2 onion minced

1/2 bell pepper minced

1/2 Scotch bonnet

1/2 cup water

1/2 tsp salt

1tbsp sugar

 

Method

 

1. Combine dry ingredients and mix together well.

2. Add Grace Whole Kernel Sweet Corn and vegetables.

3. Add water and mix together until well combined.

4. Heat oil in a concave shaped Dutch pot. When oil is hot, use a spoon to carefully pour mixture into oil.

5. Cook until golden brown turning occasionally to prevent burning. When golden, place fritters on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.

6. Serve immediately with Grace Hot and Spicy Mayo.

 

Grace Hot and Spicy Mayo Dipping Sauce

 

 

Ingredients

 

1/2 cup Grace Mayonaisse

2tsp Grace Hot Pepper Sauce

Juice of 1 lime

 

Method

 

1. Mix all ingredients together until smooth

2. Serve as an accompaniment to your favourite fritter or wings

 

Chef's tips

 

If you want the regular home style version of fritters, use a frying pan. But if you want to impress someone for Valentines Day, go with the dutchie to get a more restaurant style stamp-and-go look.

This is a vegan recipe but can also be non-vegan by adding red herring, shrimp, conch, etc.

 

Grace Coconut Shrimp Bean Pasta

 

 

Ingredients

 

1 can Grace Red Kidney Beans

2 cloves garlic minced

1 onion finely diced

1 can Grace Coconut Milk

1 lb pasta cooked drained and oiled

1 lb shrimp peeled and deveined

Salt to taste

Grace Virgin Coconut Oil as needed

 

Method

 

1. Season shrimp as desired and let marinate.

2. In a medium sized sautee pan, heat Grace Cold Pressed Coconut Oil.

3. Once oil is heated, add onions, garlic and Grace Red Kidney Beans. Sautee for 3 minutes until onions are translucent.

4. Pour in Grace Coconut Milk, and let all ingredients simmer for 1 minute.

5. Remove from pan and place in blender. blend on high until smooth.

6. Add more coconut milk to mixture if needed as it should not be too thick and set aside.

7. Place Grace Virgin Coconut Oil in sautee pan on medium heat and sautee seasoned shrimp until halfway cooked through.

8. Add blended sauce to the pan and let simmer for 1 minute.

9. Add pasta and stir until all ingredients are evenly distributed.

10. Serve immediately and garnish with fresh herbs and Parmesan cheese.

 

Grace Buttered Almond Bread Pudding

 

 

Ingredients

 

1 sachet Grace Food Drink Butter Almond Flavour mixed to instruction

2 eggs

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp vanilla

Butter for greasing pan

8 slices bread of your choice cubed

Chopped almonds for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350?F.

2. Mix together eggs and Grace Food Drink Butter Almond Flavour mixture.

3. Add the mixture to the dry ingredients and whisk together until well incorporated.

4. In a separate bowl, place the cubed bread. Pour mixture over the bread and allow to soak for 5 minutes.

5. Grease a medium sized baking dish and pour mixture into dish.

6. Bake at 350?F for 20-30 minutes or until the mixture rises.

7. Remove from heat and let cool.

8. Garnish with caramel sauce and chopped almonds.

 

Caramel sauce

 

 

Ingredients

 

1 stick butter

2/3 cup sugar

1 cup heavy cream

 

Method

 

1. Melt butter in saucepan

2. Add sugar and cook until sugar is completely melted

3. Add cream and whisk together until smooth

 

Chef's Tip

 

Substitute hard dough bread with cacao bread to add a buttery texture to your bread pudding.