Valentine's Day dinner, raw style

Menu created and tested by Silvia Clausin of The Raw Deli (with co-creator Ben Evans). Photography by Trish Gant.

Beetroot and pate ravioli
  
   

• 1 beetroot, peeled and thinly sliced (into 8 good slices, using a mandoline) 
• ½ cup of sunflower seeds (soaked)
• 1 Tbsp of Miso (unpasteurized)
• 2 Tbsp of olive oil
• 1 Tbsp of rosemary (fresh)
• 2 Tbsp thyme (fresh)
• ½ cup of water
• 1 clove of garlic, finely grated 

Process all the ingredients well except for the beetroot and a few leaves of thyme, when you have a pate-like consistency make it into 1-inch balls and place it in the middle of the sliced beetroot. Decorate with the thyme leaves and drops of olive oil.

 

Chicory and walnut salad

 
 

• 1 head of chicory
• 2 dried figs, chopped
• 2 Tbsp of dried cranberry (sweetened with apple juice)
• walnuts, soaked overnight and chopped
• ¼ of a lemon, juiced
• 2 Tbsp of vanilla-infused oil*
• pinch of salt flakes
• 1 cup of watercress

Chop the end off the chicory so you can remove the leaves without breaking them. Take the ten biggest ones and place them in a round, flat salad dish. Mix the oil, lemon juice and dried fruits. Chop the rest of the chicory and toss in a bowl with the watercress and just before serving, mix in the dressing then place it all on top of the chicory leaves in the flat plate and sprinkle the rose petals and salt flakes on top.

* To infuse vanilla oil put olive oil in a small bottle and add a vanilla bean. Leave the bottle on the window sill for a few days so the light goes through and impregnates the oil with the vanilla flavour.
 

Risotto with apple curry sauce
 
 

• 1 parsnip
• 1 cup of almonds
• 1 yellow apple
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• pinch of salt
• 2 Tbsp curry sauce
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 lemon
• 1 Tbsp of ginger
• 2 Tbsp of minced basil (save a couple of leaves to decorate)
• 4 medium Chestnut mushrooms, thinly sliced 
• 4 Tbsp white miso
• 4 unbleached dried apricots, chopped
• green basil leaves

Process the cauliflower, parsnip and almonds until they are about the same size as grains of rice. Add the white miso, basil and a Tbsp of oil to the mix. Make the apple curry by blending the apple, oil, curry sauce, garlic, lemon and ginger. Place the rice mix in a small bowl or round mould (if you have it), press it in well and then put a plate on top and turn upside-down, so the risotto is in the shape of the mould. Then place the mushrooms and dried apricots on top and the green leaves around and cover generously with the curry.

 

Almond and honey ice cream topped with violets

• 2 cups of soaked almonds
• 1½ cups of water
• ¼ tsp of sea salt
• ½ cup of honey
• 1 whole vanilla bean (open it and extract the seeds)
• A few violet flowers

Blend the almonds with the water well until it looks like pulp, then strain it with a cheese cloth. Pour it back in the blender and add the rest of the ingredients except for the violet flowers. Pour the creamy liquid into an ice-cream maker and follow the instructions. (If you don't have an ice-cream maker your freezer will do, but you'll need to stir the mixture every hour or so). Scoop it nice bowls or cups and decorate with violets and honey.