By Beleaev Family | International Caviar & Gourmet, Head Office London | beleaev.com
Valentine's Day reservations at decent London restaurants get booked out by mid-January. Cooking at home solves both the booking problem and the £150-per-head bill. This three-course caviar dinner serves two, costs around £75 in ingredients, and arrives on the table looking like a proper occasion.
Key Takeaways
- Total caviar across courses: 60g (30g per person)
- Course 1: caviar canapés with champagne
- Course 2: champagne risotto with caviar
- Course 3: chocolate pots (no caviar, palate cleanser)
- Total prep 90 minutes spread over the day
The Menu
Course 1: Caviar Canapés (12g caviar)
Course 2: Champagne Risotto with Caviar (40g caviar, 20g per portion)
Course 3: Dark Chocolate Pots with Sea Salt (no caviar)
Total caviar: 52g across the meal (around 26g per person)
Course 1: Caviar Canapés
For 6 small canapés (3 per person):
- 6 small blinis (warm)
- 60g full-fat crème fraîche
- 12g Royal Oscietra
- A few flakes of Maldon salt
- Fresh dill
Top warm blinis with crème fraîche and 2g of caviar each. Serve with chilled champagne. See our classic blinis with caviar recipe.
Course 2: Champagne Risotto with Caviar
For 2 portions:
- 200g Carnaroli rice
- 1 small white onion, finely diced
- 30g unsalted butter, plus 30g cold for finishing
- 150ml dry champagne
- 750ml hot light chicken stock
- 40g Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
- 40g Royal Oscietra (20g per portion)
- 1 tbsp finely sliced chives
Sweat onion, toast rice, add champagne, stir in stock gradually for 17 minutes. Mantecare with cold butter and parmesan. Plate, cool slightly, top with caviar. See our champagne risotto recipe for full method.
Course 3: Dark Chocolate Pots with Sea Salt
For 2:
- 80g dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
- 100ml double cream
- 30ml whole milk
- 1 large egg yolk
- 10g caster sugar
- A pinch of fine salt
- Maldon flakes for top
- Cocoa nibs
Whisk yolk and sugar pale. Heat cream and milk to simmer, pour onto yolk while whisking. Return to pan, cook 3 minutes until coating spoon. Pour through sieve onto chopped chocolate, stir until smooth. Pour into 2 small ramekins. Refrigerate 4 hours minimum. Top with Maldon flakes and cocoa nibs before serving.
Production Timeline
Day before: Make chocolate pots. Buy ingredients.
Day of, afternoon (4:00 PM): Make blinis (or take frozen ones out to defrost).
6:00 PM: Open champagne, set caviar tin on ice. Toast blinis briefly.
7:00 PM: Course 1 with champagne.
7:30 PM: Cook risotto. Course 2 served around 8:00 PM.
8:30 PM: Plate chocolate pots. Course 3 served.
9:00 PM onwards: Coffee or vintage port.
Tips for Getting It Right
Make chocolate pots a day ahead. They taste better after 24 hours of resting and remove last-minute pressure.
Champagne throughout. The same Blanc de Blancs carries you from canapés through to dessert. One bottle (375ml or 750ml depending on consumption).
Don't overdo it. 26g of caviar per person across two courses is generous but not overwhelming. More overshadows the romance with wealth-display energy.
Light the candles. Sounds obvious. Most people forget.
Variations and Pairings
With Beluga finale: Replace Course 2 caviar with 30g of Beluga XXL. The most delicate caviar for the most romantic course.
With lobster main: Replace risotto with roasted lobster with caviar beurre blanc. More dramatic, takes 15 minutes longer.
Without dessert caviar: The chocolate pots deliberately have no caviar. After 26g across the savoury courses, the palate appreciates a different register.
For more occasion menus, see our New Year's Eve caviar dinner and Christmas caviar canapé menu.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much caviar for Valentine's dinner for two?
50-60g across the meal is the right amount. 30g per person across two caviar courses (canapés + risotto).
Can I do this in 60 minutes?
Yes if the chocolate pots are made the day before. Active cooking is around 35 minutes including the risotto.
What's the romantic wine pairing?
Champagne throughout. A Rosé champagne adds visual romance. Vintage works for the gestural impact.
Should I do flowers?
Yes. Even cheap supermarket roses transform a Tuesday-night dinner into Valentine's. Don't skip this.
Further Reading
A Valentine's Day dinner with caviar at home is one of those gestures that turns the night into something really memorable. Discover Beleaev's caviar collection at beleaev.com.
Beleaev is an international caviar and gourmet house headquartered in London, with fulfilment hubs across the UK, Europe, the UAE, and the United States. We deliver responsibly farmed Beluga, Oscietra, Sevruga, and Kaluga caviar to customers in each region within 24 to 48 hours.
447706084493
