• Gaze into your loved one’s eyes over pots of oozing, flavourful cheese, or feed each other warm chocolate-covered strawberries as you whisper sweet nothings. This Valentine’s Day, set up a romantic dinner for two with a delicious fondue.

    If you are not using a traditional fondue set, make sure your broth or sauce servingware is flameproof before placing over burner or tealight candles.

    Recipe and styling by Sarah Dall

    Assisted by Claire Ferrandi

    Photographs by Dawie Verwey

    Asian beef fondue

    Serves: 4
    Cooking Time: 25 mins

    Ingredients

    • 500ml (2 cups) beef stock
    • 5ml (1 tsp) soya sauce
    • 1 lemongrass stick, bruised
    • 2 garlic cloves, bruised
    • 2 red chillies
    • 1 lime, halved
    • 600g beef fillet, cleaned and trimmed
    • 20g sesame seeds, toasted
    • baby carrots, radishes and cooked Asian mushrooms, to serve

    Instructions

    1

    Place the beef stock, soya sauce, lemongrass, garlic, chillies and lime in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, 5 minutes.

    2

    Cut the beef into cubes and sprinkle over the sesame seeds. Skewer and cook in the simmering Asian broth. Serve with the carrots, radishes and mushrooms.

    Imka Webb
    Author

    Imka Webb is a freelance digital marketing expert and the digital editor of Food & Home Entertaining magazine.  www.imkawebb.com