Valentine's Day Dinner

nibor · February 15, 2009

I saved those pages and have been thinking it ... please let us know how things turn out!
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well, just a quick update, and the pages are from Food&Wine Feb09, they had a menu contest and the recipes are the winning ones.
Roasted Squash Soup with Maple-Glazed Bananas
Rib Eye Roast with Chestnuts and Brussels Sprout leaves
Goat Cheese Cheesecake with Honeyed Cranberries
The soup is very good and rich (1/2 cup creme Fraiche will do that) and quite sweet. I made it the day before and it turned very thick, I added some more water but it was still more of a cream than a soup. Very tasty though and the banana, pecan, maple syrup and watercress garnish was very tasty too. The watercress gave a nice little bite.
I cut my roast in half and ended up with about a 2 inch thick rib steak/roast (a bit over 2lb I'd guess). I made it in some kind of hybrid way, first browned it on relatively low temp, took it out and melted the butter, in goes garlic and thyme, back goes steak. Then it was in the oven at low temp, below 200 until the thermometer showed around 130, then it rested. Turned out delicious, juicy. The chestnuts and Brusselsprouts were also very good, though I'd probably not do the leaves again. Looks very nice (basically using jut the outer leaves, blanched for 20 sec and later added to the pan with the chestnut and Asian pear) but is pretty wasteful as you can't really peel that many leaves off, the core is too interlaced. I'd probably slice them or even roast them instead. It does look very neat though, unusual.
The real winner is the goatcheese cheesecake though, that was very very tasty. Very rich too, the amounts they suggest for serving are probably just fine. I had made mine in 4 1/2 inch spring forms and that was almost a bit much. Half one would have been enough. The honeyed cranberries are excellent (even with frozen ones as I had to use) and the candied orange zest is super delicious too.
All in all a winner in my books. The garlic/thyme butter is a real nice touch, I'll keep that in my repertoire.
At least the cake recipe is online at foodandwine.com, the others I could not find in a quick search.
That was fun, today I might make split pea soup, seems the right thing on a rainy day~~
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Thanks! I need a dessert for next weekend, so will give the cheesecake a try.

I have been making variations of the dissected brussels sprouts recipe as a side dish ever since I first saw this article. We love b. sprouts to start with but are really sold on the leaves. I gouge out the core with a paring knife; they pretty much fall apart after that. Last night we had them sauteed in brown butter with slivered shitakes, with toasted pecans thrown in....yum

suzilightning · February 15, 2009

since i had to work yesterday and today decided to make it easy on myself and see what johnnybird wanted.

thursday night when i got home i marinated chicken breasts in apple cider. friday fished them out of the cider, dried them off and dredged in flour that had ground cinnamon, ginger, salt and pepper added to it. bake at 350 for 40 minutes. add 2 cups of cider, 1 Tbsp of brown sugar, 1/4 cup of applejack and one apple cored and finely sliced. bake 25 minutes more. served brown and long grain rice and carrots and peas. also a dead simple and very, very good chocolate pudding cake from Southern Living.

yesterday after work and a very long bubble bath, meatloaf with a cheddar cheese mashed potato crust and green beans almondine. john got 40 godiva truffles and a very silly card and i got a sweet card.

leftovers for the rest of the weekend.

conor610 · February 16, 2009

We went basic last night--cheese, olives, and good salami, followed by a roast chicken with gravy, porcini/chantrelle risotto, and brussels sprouts. Simple, delicious, soul-warming. Oh, and a bottle of Guigal Gigondas.

percyn · February 16, 2009

Good stuff.

My valentine's day dinner is posted on the Dinner! thread.

C. sapidus · February 16, 2009

The children prepared and served a romantic dinner for two. The boys cooked and temporary teenage daughter served. We began with beer, wine, and shrimp cocktail in the “lounge” (ok, the living room couch). After being seated, we perused the printed menu by candlelight while enjoying the warmth of a roaring fire.

To begin, we chose a green salad with slivered almonds and ranch dressing. For the main course, we selected steak burgers with bacon, Swiss cheese, and sliced avocado, accompanied by fried potatoes. Dessert was turtle cheesecake and chocolate-dipped strawberries with mascarpone cheese.

Truly, this was one of the most enjoyable meals we have eaten at this establishment. We tipped generously.

conor610 · February 16, 2009

OK, I'll bite: what is a "temporary teenage daughter"?

**Shelby** · February 16, 2009

The children prepared and served a romantic dinner for two. The boys cooked and temporary teenage daughter served. We began with beer, wine, and shrimp cocktail in the “lounge” (ok, the living room couch). After being seated, we perused the printed menu by candlelight while enjoying the warmth of a roaring fire.
To begin, we chose a green salad with slivered almonds and ranch dressing. For the main course, we selected steak burgers with bacon, Swiss cheese, and sliced avocado, accompanied by fried potatoes. Dessert was turtle cheesecake and chocolate-dipped strawberries with mascarpone cheese.
Truly, this was one of the most enjoyable meals we have eaten at this establishment. We tipped generously.
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Oh that's so sweet, Bruce!!!

C. sapidus · February 16, 2009

OK, I'll bite: what is a "temporary teenage daughter"?
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A friend's daughter is living with us while her parent is stationed overseas. A few of the boys' friends have become honorary family members and live with us from time to time.

Oh that's so sweet, Bruce!!!
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Thanks, Shelby!

Magictofu · February 18, 2009

We both had a long week and were tired so we ordered pizza and ate it while watching cartoons (Cars) with our son. Oh what a romantic night it was! Very un-eGullet and even a bit naughty.

RobertM · February 18, 2009

I've posted this on other topics, so, if you've already read about this - just skip me, but we had a Dessert party - themed as a Chocolate Tasting Party -

We went from white chocolate, to Milk to Dark, and paired each course with a different wine

Sparkling wine from Italy first

Then a lemon curd/citrus salad and White Chocolate Mousse

paired with an ice wine

A milk chocolate-mocha tart paired with a pinot noir

and last a chocolate pomegranate torte served with a Port

This was our second such party - and a big hit. We had 13 people over and will probably do it again next year - a fun way for old married people to spend Valentines Day

suzilightning · February 18, 2009

and last a chocolate pomegranate torte served with a Port
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robert,

was that from Fine Cooking? if so how difficult was it to make?

thanks for any input as my baking skills have gone south....

suzi

Edited February 18, 2009 by suzilightning (log)

RobertM · February 18, 2009

Yes, I believe that was the magazine where the pomegranate came from - I can let you know exactly tonight when I get home from work.

The cake itself was a snap to make, the tricky part (for me) was the creation of the Pomegranate Jelly that is spread over the cooled cake. My first attempt failed miserably and ruined the cake. I baked another cake, but didn't bake it long enough (even though I thought I did) and then success came on the third attempt!

All in all, the cake wasn't that difficult to make. I admit freely, I need to work on my jelly skills -

As an aside, my wife, sister-in-law and brother-in-law were standing around the first "ruined" cake eating it off the plate I had it resting on. By the time they were done, about 1/3 of the cake was gone - so, even ruined, they liked it!

Keith_W · February 7, 2012

Time to bump this thread. I came searching here for ideas.

I have to cook for a Valentine's dinner party on Sunday. Can't be the 14th because everyone has to work. One of the guests doesn't eat beef, so I can't serve that. So far, this is on my mind:

- Borscht consomme, with a heart shaped pierogi and vegetables cut into pretty shapes.

- Confit ocean trout with home made pickles

- Rosewater salad

- Chocolate tart with candied rose petals and cherries

What are the rest of you making?

Shel_B · February 10, 2012

I am making my sweetie a Moro orange panna cotta served in a heart shaped ramekin, and we will have a bottle of her favorite champagne.

Kim Shook · February 10, 2012

Here's my menu:

Shrimp Rémoulade (ala Galatoire's)

Love Potion Salad

Pommes Soufflé w/ béarnaise (ala Galatoire's)

Roasted Rack of Lamb w/ Mint Pesto

Lobster Medallions w/ lemon butter sauce

Cranberry and Orange Wild Rice

Crusty Bread

Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake

Sesame-Ginger Rice Krispie Treats

Yes, it's too much food for 2 people, but I haven't really flexed my cooking muscles in a long time and I will scale back on the recipes.

Love Potion salad is actually a recipe from a Diane Mott Davidson mystery - just field greens with pine nuts, grape tomatoes and bleu cheese crumbles and a Dijon vinaigrette with fresh basil.

The Sesame-Ginger Rice Krispie Treats are a recipe from deensiebat and are more of a gift to Mr. Kim than a dessert for us to eat that night. It sounded like something that he will love.

Keith_W · February 10, 2012

Kim your menu sounds amazing! I had to google some of your dishes because I have never heard of them.

I have changed my menu. It is now this:

- Borscht consomme

- Duck confit with saffron rice and baby vegetables

- Rose sorbet

- Heston's exploding chocolate cake

Maybe i'll make a different sorbet with essence of violet and call it a "love potion sorbet" Violet essence is purple, it will make it look weird enough to pull it off.

jrshaul · February 11, 2012

Microwaved burrito.

Maybe next year...

**ChrisTaylor** · February 12, 2012

Duck confit on Valentine's Day?, Keith? Genius. That'd work for me. *bats eyelids*

In all seriousness, I'm not cooking. We're heading to a cocktail bar (1806, for 'all' you locals) and then having dinner at MoVida Aqui, a tapas restaurant.

Keith_W · February 12, 2012

Here are some action pics from tonight. Everyone whom I invited have day jobs, making a mid-week dinner difficult.

Valentine's Borscht Consomme. A normal Borscht has all the veggies boiled in the soup. I boiled the soup, removed the veggies, clarified the broth, and added fresh veggies, all cooked to highlight a different range of textures. Here we have baked beetroot (1 hour), steamed carrots (4 minutes), steamed beans (2 minutes), and raw radish and capsicum. All have been cut into heart shapes. The beans were tied together with steamed chives.

This is what it looked like after the beetroot consomme broth was added.

Main was confit duck with saffron rice. A friend took a picture of me prepping the dish.

Confit duck leg, deep fried, with saffron rice, raspberry, and baby vegetables.

Dessert was Heston Blumenthal's "Exploding Chocolate Cake" with passionfruit. Instead of his chocolate floccage, I made a white chocolate ganache and decorated it with white chocolate hearts stained pink with food colouring

**ChrisTaylor** · February 13, 2012

I assume you brought some kind of heart-shaped micro-cookie cutter/stamp/etc for preparing those vegetables. If you cut them to shape with a paring knife I wouldn't know whether to be really impressed or terrified.

**Mjx** · February 13, 2012

. . . .
. . . .

I'm seriously impressed (especially since Valentine's Day hasn't really made any inroads here in DK + I become excruciatingly embarrassed by traditional displays of sentiment, so I'll be lalala-ing/whistlingly turning a blind eye to the entire holiday :blush: ). Did you use the same cutter to create the veg hearts and the chocolate ones?

Keith_W · February 13, 2012

Thanks Chris. The heart shapes were cut with a heart shaped cutter Bought from Cake Deco in Port Philip Arcade (in town) in case you wanted to know.

Michaela, yes I used the same cutter. Or rather, I made my wife do it! I only have one, and it took her the good part of the afternoon to cut out all the shapes.

**Shelby** · February 13, 2012

Time to bump this thread. I came searching here for ideas.
I have to cook for a Valentine's dinner party on Sunday. Can't be the 14th because everyone has to work. One of the guests doesn't eat beef, so I can't serve that. So far, this is on my mind:
- Borscht consomme, with a heart shaped pierogi and vegetables cut into pretty shapes.
- Confit ocean trout with home made pickles
- Rosewater salad
- Chocolate tart with candied rose petals and cherries
What are the rest of you making?

Wow. Just wow. Your meal is AMAZING. Thanks for bumping this thread. I forget about it every year. I really enjoy reading through all of the older posts.

I am making my sweetie a Moro orange panna cotta served in a heart shaped ramekin, and we will have a bottle of her favorite champagne.

YUM. I hope my sweetie remembers the champagne.......

Here's my menu:
Shrimp Rémoulade (ala Galatoire's)
Love Potion Salad
Pommes Soufflé w/ béarnaise (ala Galatoire's)
Roasted Rack of Lamb w/ Mint Pesto
Lobster Medallions w/ lemon butter sauce
Cranberry and Orange Wild Rice
Crusty Bread
Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake
Sesame-Ginger Rice Krispie Treats
Yes, it's too much food for 2 people, but I haven't really flexed my cooking muscles in a long time and I will scale back on the recipes.
Love Potion salad is actually a recipe from a Diane Mott Davidson mystery - just field greens with pine nuts, grape tomatoes and bleu cheese crumbles and a Dijon vinaigrette with fresh basil.
The Sesame-Ginger Rice Krispie Treats are a recipe from deensiebat and are more of a gift to Mr. Kim than a dessert for us to eat that night. It sounded like something that he will love.

Ohhhh the shrimp and love potion salad --I may have to copy. Except I don't have any lettuce Ohhhh and the lobster. Sounds so good.

Duck confit on Valentine's Day?, Keith? Genius. That'd work for me. *bats eyelids*
In all seriousness, I'm not cooking. We're heading to a cocktail bar (1806, for 'all' you locals) and then having dinner at MoVida Aqui, a tapas restaurant.

Sometimes I wish we could just pop into a neat place like you're going to. I hope you have a great time

I've been looking online for days and just have not been inspired for V. day. I wanted to make a fantabulous dessert of some kind, but I either don't have all of the ingredients, or I'm too lazy lol.

We've been craving pork ribs, so, they've been brining for 2 days in Morton's Quick and Tender. It's a snowy, blizzardy day, but Mr. Shelby is going to smoke them and then I'll reheat them in Curley's BBQ sauce tomorrow night. Oh, I know, ribs are not very romantic....but we've been married for 12 years and I don't care if he sees me with BBQ sauce all over my face. :biggrin: