Cook up a storm for someone this Valentine’s Day

So, Monday is Valentine’s Day – gentlemen, just to let you know, there’s nothing more enticing than a man in the kitchen preparing a special feast for a woman. So don your apron and start planning!

This column is too short for recipes but there are loads out there for you to try. The best recipes to look out for can be prepared in advance and have only a few ingredients.

I love a double-baked cheese souffle (you can get a very good and easy recipe on BBC.co.uk/food). It tastes delicious and is really easy to prepare. Serve it with a leafy salad and a nice lemon dressing.

As the souffle can be a bit hefty for a starter, keep the main course on the light side. A pasta dish would go nicely – one of my favourite dishes is a simple spaghetti with garlic and chilli.

Heat some olive oil in a pan, slice garlic – we tend to use 7-10 – and sauté until the garlic is cooked but not browned, add the chopped chilli and some fresh parsley. Cook the pasta according to the instructions, drain and add to the oil with a bit of the cooking water.

Grate some fresh parmesan over and you have one of the tastiest dishes (you can also add prawns if you like but I like it plain).

Serve some nice garlic bread with it to dip up the oil (sometimes the best part).

And now for dessert – you can simply buy some good quality ice cream and serve it with a fruit coulis (take some frozen fruit and heat it with a spoon of water and sugar to taste before pureeing it – if you like a very smooth one, pass it through a sieve).

Or get a nice dessert from one of our beautiful bakeries we have now in Cork.

And for afters, get three different cheeses, some crackers (Sheridan’s has some really nice ones – you can get them in Bradley’s, On the Pigs back and at Iago) and get some tasty chutney.

Arrange everything nicely on a platter and enjoy.

Now, what to drink with it? Beer would go nicely but make sure it’s a good one. Rising Sons Brewery offers take away cans and mini kegs for some of their beers (make sure to call ahead to ensure that your beer is on offer) – I love Changeling but Redemption will also go nicely.

For best wine recommendations, head to Bradley’s – Michael has a vast knowledge of wine and can match it with your food (even if you are cooking different food).

Now, set your table nicely, light some candles and play some low tone jazz to set the scene but most of all, enjoy the time together!