Bord Eau is without a doubt one of the most picturesque restaurants in the city (in fact it even won the TOAD award for romance last year). So of course we turned to Chef Alexandre Pernetta in the hopes that he’d let us in on the secret of cooking up the ultimate romantic meal at home. Follow these recipes for a three-course extravaganza that shows just how much you love the lady or man in your life. But be prepared for the consequences – these are some seriously sexy dishes…
Starter
Love oysters
6 oysters
1/4 fresh vanilla stick
1 tbsp chopped mangoes
1 tbsp chopped granny smith (or green) apples
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp cider vinegar
Cracked pepper to taste
1 Detach the oysters and empty the juice from the shells.
2 Place the oysters back in the shells and set aside in the fridge.
3 In a bowl, mix the chopped mangoes, apples, oil and vinegar.
4 With a knife cut the vanilla stick in half, scrape some morsels on to the mango and apple mix and add some cracked pepper.
5 Right before serving pour the mixture on to the oysters.
Main course
Mi-cuit of salmon with citrus and ‘pomme d’amour’
2 pcs salmon fillets
1 orange
3 tbsps breadcrumbs
2 tbsps butter
400g green peas
Mint leaves
125ml liquid cream
6 cherry tomatoes
5 tbsps sugar
1 tsp water
Sea salt
Olive oil
6 wooden skewers
Salt and pepper to taste
1 In a bowl, grate skin of the orange.
2 Combine the butter and breadcrumbs with salt and pepper. Spread the mix on a sheet of baking paper and keep in the fridge.
3 Prepare a caramel by mixing the sugar and water in a pan under low fire until the mixture turns brown.
4 Partially run a skewer through each tomato, dip into the caramel and dash a small amount of sea salt.
5 Boil a pot of water and dip the green peas for just a few minutes and remove them. Place them in a blender together with the mint and cream, then add salt and pepper to taste.
6 Heat the olive oil in a pan. Rub salt and pepper on both sides of the fillet and fry for two minutes on each side.
7 Place the fried fillets on a baking sheet and put the orange and breadcrumb mixtures on top of each fillet. Bake for three minutes at 240C.
8 Place the salmon on a plate, garnish it with mashed green peas and three tomato skewers.
Dessert
Melting chocolate cake
40g butter
125g chocolate
3 eggs
80g sugar
1 tbsp flour
Chocolate chips
1 In a bain marie (steamer) melt the chocolate and butter and stir gradually.
2 Preheat the oven at 220°C.
3 Separate egg yolk from egg white. Whisk the egg white in a bowl and pour the flour and sugar.
4 Slowly incorporate the chocolate into the egg and flour mixture.
5 Brush a fair amount of butter on to the surface of two individual baking casts.
6 Fill the casts with the chocolate mixture half-full.
7 Add some chocolate chips.
8 Pour the rest of the mixture up to the brim and bake for exactly 12 minutes just before serving.
9 Remove the cakes from the casts and serve.
