Happy Valentine's Day
Post from 2018
Post from 2018
Come on fellows, you can do it ! Here is the easiest valentine dinner menu you will ever see and if you make it for your sweetheart she will be thrilled!!
Step one - order flowers and have them delivered.
Step two - buy a heart shaped box of assorted chocolates.
Step three- Prepare all ingredients, i.e. peel potatoes, chop parsley, trim asparagus, etc.
Step four - preparing Alaskan king crab legs with drawn butter, new potatoes with parsley, and roasted asparagus. This is a menu anyone can prepare with minimal practice or work. For dessert share some chocolates from step two above. A little champagne or nice crisp white wine goes well with the crab.
Alaskan King Crab Legs
Ingredients:
2 - 3 Lbs. King crab legs(available at Costco or any large food store)
8 TBSP butter
Preparation:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Crab legs are only sold pre-cooked. They are steamed on the boats immediately after the crab are caught, so all you have to do is heat them up in the oven. Lay the crab legs out on a cookie sheet with sides and put into the 375 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes. While the crab is reheating, place the butter in a microwave proof dish and melt the butter in the microwave on high heat for about thirty or forty seconds. Once the butter is melted, use a spoon and skim the froth off of the top of the butter. Place the melted butter into two ramekins or other small dishes to serve. When the crab is hot remove from the oven and serve. You will need a couple of crab or nut crackers to help get the crab out of the shell as you eat it.
New Potatoes with Parsley
Ingredients:
8-10 small potatoes, about 1" in diameter. I like to use a mix of red and yukon gold.
2 TBSP butter
1 TBSP finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
Preparation:
Before putting the crab in the oven peel about half of the skin off of each potato. I generally peel around the middle of the potato and leave the skins on the ends. Remove the leaves from a fistful of fresh parsley and using a chef's knife chop the leaves finely. Put the potatoes into a small pan of cold water. Add a pinch of salt. After the crab has been in the oven about ten minutes, bring the potatoes to a boil on the stovetop over high heat. Reduce the heat slightly but keep the potatoes at a boil, but don't allow them to boil over. It will only take ten to twelve minutes to cook small potatoes. Check them by poking with a fork. You will be able to tell when the potatoes are done as the fork with easily pierce the potatoes. When the potatoes are done drain them by placing a colander in the sink and pouring the contents of the potato pan through the colander. Dump the hot potatoes back into the pan you cooked them in and add the 2 TBSP of butter. Stir until the butter melts and covers all of the potatoes. Add the parsley and stir until the potatoes are nicely coated with parsley. Salt and pepper as desired. Cover with a lid and hold on the stovetop on low heat until the crab is done.
Roasted Asparagus:
Ingredients:
1 LB fresh asparagus
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Course ground sea salt
Preparation:
Before putting crab into oven, trim asparagus. Hold one piece of asparagus in the middle with one hand. Using the other hand snap off the bottom of the piece of asparagus where it naturally wants to break. Lay the piece of asparagus down next to the rest of the asparagus and using a chef's knife trim the rest of the asparagus to the same length as the piece you snapped by hand. Lay the asparagus into a 9 x 13" glass baking dish in a single layer. Drizzle the asparagus with extra virgin olive oil and shake the baking dish so that the asparagus gets evenly coated with the oil. Salt lightly with the coarse ground sea salt. After the crab has been in the oven for about 15 minutes put the asparagus into the oven as well. The asparagus will take about 10-12 minutes to cook.
If you follow the steps above everything will be done at the same time and you will be able to serve a dinner to your Valentine that looks like this:
Post from 2017
I read somewhere recently, that Valentine's Day is the second busiest day of the year in restaurants, only surpassed by Mother's Day. Why not just stay home and make a simple but elegant dinner for your sweetheart? Even if you don't ordinarily cook, here is a simple menu that will be delicious and sure to please. You can do it. It's easy. Here is the menu we will make:
Greek Salad
Filet Mignon and Lobster Tail with Drawn Butter
Baked Potato with Sour Cream and Chives
Roasted Asparagus
Purchased Chocolate Dessert
I have purposely designed the menu using lots of store bought ingredients, so that even a novice can do this meal. Just follow along step by step and you will be surprised how easy it is.
Step one is to make a shopping list and I have done that for you. Here you go.
For the salad:
One head Romaine lettuce
Some Greek salad mix from the olive bar at your local grocer. This will be a mix of olives, and feta cheese.
4 pepperoncino's (spicy peppers form the olive bar)
Greek seasoning mix
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
For the main course:
2 small lobster tails
butter
2 5-6 Oz. filet mignons
Course ground sea salt and ground black pepper
2 medium baking potatoes
sour cream
Fresh chives
1 Lb. asparagus
For Dessert:
Purchase any type of chocolate dessert that you think your Valentine will enjoy.
To Prepare your dinner just follow these easy steps:
1.5 hrs. before you want to eat, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Scrub the potatoes with a brush and water. Dry them with paper towels. Using a fork, poke holes in the skin of the potatoes all over the outside. With a paper towel, rub a thin layer of butter over the entire outside of each potato and then salt with course sea salt. Lay a sheet of aluminum foil on the middle rack of the oven and set the potatoes directly on the foil. The potatoes will take about an hour to an hour and twenty minutes to bake. Test them by squeezing with an oven mitt. When they feel soft and give to the touch they will be done.
While the potatoes are in the oven get the asparagus ready to roast. Take one spear of asparagus and break off the bottom with your fingers. It will snap at some point that is the natural break. Once you have snapped the bottom off of one piece, lay it down next to the remaining pieces of asparagus and using a chef's knife cut the other stalks to approximately the same length as the piece that you snapped. Lay the asparagus in a glass baking dish and drizzle it with some extra virgin olive oil. Salt it with course ground sea salt and set aside.
Chop the chives into 1/4" pieces and set aside.
Cut the bottom 2 inches off of the bottom of the head of romaine. Separate the leaves and wash each leaf in cold water, discarding any leaves with bad spots. Lay them out on paper towel to dry for a few minutes. Cut the lettuce leaves into 1" square pieces. Put the cut-up lettuce into a plastic bag and refrigerate until time to mix up your salad. Make dressing by mixing 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil with 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar. Season to taste with the Greek seasoning. Set aside.
Split the belly of each lobster tail length wise with a sharp scissors. Lay the lobsters on a baking sheet and brush them with melted butter.
Brush each filet mignon with melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Put the filets in an oven proof skillet. Here are the steaks, lobster tails, asparagus, chives and salad dressing after following the steps above:
Twenty minutes prior to eating, sear the filets in the skillet over high heat on the stove top. Sear each side for about two minutes. Fifteen minutes prior to eating turn the oven from 400 degrees to Broil. If the potatoes are done, take them out of the oven and hold them on a plate that you cover with foil. If they aren't quite done yet, leave them in the oven. Ten minutes prior to eating, put the skillet containing the steaks and the baking sheet with the lobster tails into the oven on the top rack. Put the asparagus in the oven on the middle rack. Broil for ten minutes. Check the steaks for temperature. 120 degrees is medium rare. Ten minutes should do the trick.
While the steaks and lobster tails are in the oven, put the chopped lettuce leaves into a salad bowl. Top with the Greek salad mix and the pepperoncinis. Dress the salad with the dressing you made and using a tongs, toss the salad until well mixed.
Heat the Hollandaise sauce on low heat until just warm.
Cut a stick of butter into two pieces and put them into a microwave proof bowl. Cover with a paper towel and heat on high for about thirty seconds or until the butter is liquid.
Serve the salad on a salad plate. Put a steak, a lobster tail, a baked potato and some asparagus on each of two plates. Slit the baked potatoes and top with a dollop of sour cream and some of the chopped chives. Divide the melted butter into two small ramekins or bowls for dipping the lobster. Serve with a nice Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir and enjoy your Valentine's Day.
For Dessert:
Purchase any type of chocolate dessert that you think your Valentine will enjoy.
To Prepare your dinner just follow these easy steps:
1.5 hrs. before you want to eat, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Scrub the potatoes with a brush and water. Dry them with paper towels. Using a fork, poke holes in the skin of the potatoes all over the outside. With a paper towel, rub a thin layer of butter over the entire outside of each potato and then salt with course sea salt. Lay a sheet of aluminum foil on the middle rack of the oven and set the potatoes directly on the foil. The potatoes will take about an hour to an hour and twenty minutes to bake. Test them by squeezing with an oven mitt. When they feel soft and give to the touch they will be done.
While the potatoes are in the oven get the asparagus ready to roast. Take one spear of asparagus and break off the bottom with your fingers. It will snap at some point that is the natural break. Once you have snapped the bottom off of one piece, lay it down next to the remaining pieces of asparagus and using a chef's knife cut the other stalks to approximately the same length as the piece that you snapped. Lay the asparagus in a glass baking dish and drizzle it with some extra virgin olive oil. Salt it with course ground sea salt and set aside.
Chop the chives into 1/4" pieces and set aside.
Cut the bottom 2 inches off of the bottom of the head of romaine. Separate the leaves and wash each leaf in cold water, discarding any leaves with bad spots. Lay them out on paper towel to dry for a few minutes. Cut the lettuce leaves into 1" square pieces. Put the cut-up lettuce into a plastic bag and refrigerate until time to mix up your salad. Make dressing by mixing 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil with 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar. Season to taste with the Greek seasoning. Set aside.
Split the belly of each lobster tail length wise with a sharp scissors. Lay the lobsters on a baking sheet and brush them with melted butter.
Brush each filet mignon with melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Put the filets in an oven proof skillet. Here are the steaks, lobster tails, asparagus, chives and salad dressing after following the steps above:
Twenty minutes prior to eating, sear the filets in the skillet over high heat on the stove top. Sear each side for about two minutes. Fifteen minutes prior to eating turn the oven from 400 degrees to Broil. If the potatoes are done, take them out of the oven and hold them on a plate that you cover with foil. If they aren't quite done yet, leave them in the oven. Ten minutes prior to eating, put the skillet containing the steaks and the baking sheet with the lobster tails into the oven on the top rack. Put the asparagus in the oven on the middle rack. Broil for ten minutes. Check the steaks for temperature. 120 degrees is medium rare. Ten minutes should do the trick.
While the steaks and lobster tails are in the oven, put the chopped lettuce leaves into a salad bowl. Top with the Greek salad mix and the pepperoncinis. Dress the salad with the dressing you made and using a tongs, toss the salad until well mixed.
Heat the Hollandaise sauce on low heat until just warm.
Cut a stick of butter into two pieces and put them into a microwave proof bowl. Cover with a paper towel and heat on high for about thirty seconds or until the butter is liquid.
Serve the salad on a salad plate. Put a steak, a lobster tail, a baked potato and some asparagus on each of two plates. Slit the baked potatoes and top with a dollop of sour cream and some of the chopped chives. Divide the melted butter into two small ramekins or bowls for dipping the lobster. Serve with a nice Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir and enjoy your Valentine's Day.
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