Chicken Picatta, Wheat Berry Pilaf And Roasted Beets For A Romantic Valentine’s Day Dinner

If you intend to continue the romance of Valentines Day, here’s a seductive dinner for two that’s perfect for the weekend. However, the recipes can be scaled up in direct proportions if there are more guests invited to join your dinner party.

It’s hard to improve veal or chicken piccata. This updated recipe uses the same ingredients —parsley, sage, lemon, shallots, garlic and cheese—in a fresh new presentation.

The hearty richness of wheat berries make an ideal side dish to serve with chicken piccata.

A unique presentation of roasted red beets, shaved or shredded carrots and lettuce doubles as salad and vegetable sides to serve with chicken. Serve the salad on a large white platter, with beets mounded at one end, carrots on the other end and greens in the center.

Buy dessert or serve fresh fruit, ice cream with cookies for dessert. Bon appétit!

Chicken Picatta 2017(Serves 2)2, six-ounce boneless chicken breasts with skin, rinsed and patted dry

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Olive oil for sautéing

About 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

4 to 5 fresh sage leaves cut into thin slivers

A handful flat-leaf parsley leaves, left whole

1 tablespoon drained capers

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

1 large shallot, minced

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup dry vermouth

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

A small chunk Pecorino Romano cheese, shavedTo prepare:Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a small bowl, toss sage, parsley and capers together.

Drizzle with olive oil and add half the shallot to herbs and toss. Reserve for topping.

Flatten chicken to even thickness.

Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

In a heavy skillet over moderate-high heat, coat the bottom with oil.

Add chicken breasts skin-side down, and sear until golden brown, about six to seven minutes.

Turn and cook second side until golden brown, about three to four minutes.

Transfer chicken to a baking pan, add a splash of lemon juice to the pan, lightly tent the pan with foil and roast until the juices run clear when pierced with a two-pronged fork, about eight to 10 minutes. The roasting time will depend on the thickness of the chicken.

Meanwhile, in the same skillet over medium heat, add remaining shallot and garlic, and sauté until aromatic and tender, about one minute.

Add vermouth, ignite, and when the flames subside, add lemon juice and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half.

Can be done up to this point.

When chicken is cooked, transfer to warm plate and tent with foil.

Pour juices from the pan into the skillet, bring to a boil, and cook until reduced, about two to three minutes.

Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Spoon the sauce over the chicken breast.

Quickly toss parsley mixture add black pepper and shaved cheese and mix well.

Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Spoon herbs on top of the chicken and serve.Wheat Berry Pilaf(Serves 2 with leftovers)1 cup wheat berries

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 bunch scallions, trimmed, white and 3 inches of green, chopped

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 1/2 to 2 cups chicken stock, hot

Small fistful flat leaf parsley, chopped, for garnishTo prepare:Place wheat berries in a bowl, cover with about two cups of water, cover with plastic wrap and let soak overnight.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Drain wheat berries and set aside.

In a small ovenproof casserole with a lid over moderate heat, add the oil.

Add scallions, celery, and sauté until the celery begins to soften, about three to four minutes.

Add wheat berries, sauté briefly until they glisten, add stock all at once, stir well and bring to a boil.

Cover the dish and bake until the wheat berries are tender and all the liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes.

If wheat berries are not tender, but liquid is absorbed, add hot stock about one-quarter to one-half cup at a time and continue cooking until done.

Fluff the pilaf with a fork, taste and adjust the seasonings. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.Roasted Beets, Carrots 
And Greens Side Dish(Serves 2 with leftovers)One bunch fresh beets, about 6, scrubbed and trimmedFor the dressing:2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

About 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed orange juice

1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest

Chopped fresh parsley and chopped scallions to tasteFor the carrots:2 carrots, peeled

juice of 1 fresh lemon

Small bunch fresh dill, choppedFor the greens:Few leaves Boston lettuce, torn

About 1/2 cupful or more to taste baby arugula

Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

White balsamic vinegar, for sprinkling

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to tasteTo prepare:Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Wash beets, cut all but 1 inch of greens off and loosely wrap each beet in aluminum foil.

Place on a baking sheet and bake until they are tender to the point of a fork, about one hour. The baking time will depend on the size of the beets.

Once beets are cool enough to handle, wearing rubber gloves, slip the skin off and cut off tough parts.

Slice the beets or leave tiny ones whole.

Place the beets in a bowl, drizzle with oil and vinegar.

Sprinkle orange juice, zest, parsley, scallions, over the beets, taste and add salt and pepper to taste.

Cover and refrigerate.

Toss just before serving.For carrots: Using a vegetable peeler cut long thin slices down the length of the carrots.

It’ll look like wide ribbons.

Drizzle lemon juice and few pinches salt over the carrots, toss, cover and refrigerate.

Just before serving, drizzle oil over carrots and toss until they glisten.

Toss with dill.To assemble: Toss lettuce, arugula, and some of the dill together just before serving, drizzle oil and vinegar over the greens, toss and serve at once.

Present on a white rectangular platter, mound beets at one end, greens in the center, and carrots at the other end.