A Valentine’s Day Dinner That Can Be Made Ahead Of Time

The beauty of this menu is that the preparatory work is done behind the scenes, long before your Valentine sees it.

Arrange all the ingredients for the starter and at the appropriate moment, uncork the wine and nibble on these zesty flavored shrimp served with avocado and lime-scented crème fraiche.

Then invite your special squeeze into the kitchen to help you sear the chops, steam the beans, and reheat the rice. For dessert, pour a glass of champagne and dip fresh strawberries into whipped cream. Happy Valentine’s Day! Bon appétit!

Spicy Lime Shrimp With Avocado(Serves 2)About 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 serrano chili, seeded and minced

1 large clove garlic, minced

2 limes, zested and juiced, plus 1 lime, juiced

1/3 cup avocado oil

10 large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 firm, ripe Hass avocado, sliced lengthwise and gently tossed with lime juice

1 medium tomato, seeded and diced

About 1/3 cup crème fraiche

Chopped cilantro for garnishTo prepare:In a shallow bowl, whisk the cilantro, serrano chili, garlic, lime zest, and juice with the oil. Add shrimp to the mixture and marinate for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Drain off the marinade and discard.

In a sauté pan over high heat, add the shrimp, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook until the shrimp begin to color on the first side, about two minutes. Turn and cook the other side until they turn opaque, about one to two minutes longer. Transfer to a plate, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to six hours.

About one hour before serving, on a serving plate, arrange the avocado slices in a spoke fashion and scatter diced tomato over the avocado. Mound shrimp in the center.

Whisk the crème fraiche with a teaspoon of lime juice and a little lime zest. Spoon a dollop of the crème fraiche on the side of the plate and sprinkle cilantro over the whole affair.Stuffed Lamb Chop Pairs(Serves 2)For the stuffing:About 1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon unsalted butter

2 medium shallots, minced

1 and 1/2 cups packed rough chopped baby spinach leaves

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Pinch freshly grated nutmegFor the chops:4 well-trimmed 1 -to 1-and-1/4-inch-thick loin lamb chops

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon cognac plus 1 tablespoon for sauce

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

About 1/4 teaspoon rosemary

About 1/3 cup good quality chicken stockTo prepare:To make the stuffing; in a skillet over moderate high heat, coat the bottom with oil, add butter and when the foam subsides, add shallots and sauté until they begin to soften, about two minutes. Add spinach and sauté until completely wilted. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, taste and adjust the seasonings. Transfer to a side dish. Cool and refrigerate or freeze.

To marinate the chops; in a shallow bowl, whisk vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, cognac, pepper, and rosemary together. Roll the chops in the marinade, cover with plastic wrap and marinate for one hour at room temperature or refrigerate for up to five hours.

Just before cooking, remove chops and discard the marinade. Cut a “pocket” in each chop, push about 2 teaspoons of the stuffing into each pocket and press the edges of the meat together to seal.

In a heavy skillet over high heat, sprinkle coarse salt on the pan, and when the pan is very hot, sear the edges of the chops until they are brown. Sear each side until brown, about two to three minutes each. Transfer chops to a plate.

Add stock to the skillet and boil. Return the chops to the pan and cook until they are tender, about two minutes, or done according to personal preference. Transfer to warm dinner plates.

Raise the heat on the pan juices; add cognac and cook, stirring up any bits of meat in the pan. Taste, adjust the seasonings and spoon sauce over the chops and serveRomantic 
Saffron Basmati Rice(Serves 2)2 tablespoons avocado oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 pinch saffron threads

1 cardamom pod

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 cup basmati rice, rinsed and well drained

2 cups chicken stock, boilingTo prepare: (Can be done ahead)Place rice in a large bowl of cold water, swish around to remove excess starch, strain off water, rinse under cold running water, shake off excess water, and drain rice well.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a one-quart heavy casserole dish over moderate-high heat, coat the bottom with oil. When oil is hot, add onion, saffron, and cardamom pod and sauté until onions begin to soften and the spices are aromatic, about three to four minutes, being careful not to burn.

Add rice all at once and stir until each kernel glistens, about three to four minutes. Add salt, pepper, and stock all at once, stirring the rice. Bring to a boil; cover the pan and place in the oven. Bake until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven; place a paper towel under the lid. The rice will remain hot for two hours. Can be done ahead, remove paper towel and reheat in hot oven about 20 minutes.Steamy Green Beans(Serves 2)2 large handfuls (About 1/3 pound) haricot vert, washed and trimmed

2 teaspoons unsalted butter or extra virgin olive oil

Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to tasteTo prepare:Place beans in a steamer basket over one inch of water in a saucepan with a lid. While the lamb chops are cooking, set the pan over high heat. Bring water to a boil and steam the beans until they are crunch tender, about three minutes. Immediately run cold water over the beans to stop the cooking process, shake off excess water.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet over moderate high heat add butter and melt until foam subsides and butter becomes aromatic, but not burned, about two to three minutes. Add the beans to the butter, shake the pan to coat, season to taste and serve.