Romance and food are inseparable. Why not prepare a heart healthy Valentine’s dinner at home? Start with a glass of champagne and a few mixed nuts or cheese straws.
Invite your love to watch you cook this tantalizing first course. (Place the chicken in the oven before you make the first course.)Follow with heart-shaped papillotes that encase exotic mushroom-stuffed chicken breasts with sweet sugar snap peas and a rich wild rice pilaf on the side.
By now, your love will realize that you wish him or her a long life, because even the most avid dieter will be seduced. To top off the meal, buy a thin sliver of a chocolate dessert that is as rich and dense as a long-term relationship or as exciting and straight forward as a new love. I’d choose chocolate truffles and fresh raspberries! Happy Valentine’s Day and bon appétit!
Scallops With Fresh Spinach(Serves 2)6 to 8 sea scallops, cleaned
1/2 pound fresh baby spinach leaves, washed
1/4 cup walnut pieces, toasted
Zest of half a lemon, grated
Juice of half a lemon
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, sliced
Coarse sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to tasteTo prepare: (Before guest arrives and set aside.)
Remove tiny muscle attached along side each scallop, rinse, pat dry with paper towel, arrange on plate, cover, and refrigerate until cooking time.
In dry skillet over high heat, toast walnuts until light brown and aromatic and reserve.
Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from half the lemon, cut into thin strips, and mince.
Squeeze juice from lemon and strain out seeds.
Measure the oil.
Wash spinach, lightly spin dry and set aside. To cook: In a skillet over moderate heat, coat the bottom with oil, add garlic and sauté just until light brown and aromatic.
Remove garlic and reserve. (Can be done ahead)
Add spinach to the skillet, cover, and cook for 30 seconds.
Season scallops with salt and pepper and place them on the spinach, cover, and continue cooking until scallops turn from translucent to opaque, about three minutes longer.
Meanwhile, whisk lemon juice and olive oil together in a small bowl. If desired, add garlic, lemon zest and walnuts. Taste and season with freshly ground black pepper.
Using a slotted spoon, remove spinach and scallops from skillet, (keeping the scallops ontop of the spinach) and transfer to warm salad plate. Spoon a bit of dressing over the whole affair and serve at once. Pour chilled sauvignon blanc or slightly chilled pinot noir.Exotic Mushroom-Stuffed Chicken En Papillote(Serves 2)For the filling:
2 fresh shiitake mushrooms, chopped
1/2 small fresh Portobello mushroom, chopped
1 fresh oyster mushroom, chopped
2 teaspoons dried porcini or cepe mushroom pieces
2 fresh cremini mushrooms sliced
Note: Choose a variety of exotic fresh mushrooms available in the market; buy only one or two of each.
2 medium shallots, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon butter
1 teaspoon fresh tarragon, chopped or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon Madeira
For the chicken:
2 whole small chicken breasts, split, skinned, boned, and trimmed of visible fat or connective tissue
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
About 1 tablespoon dry vermouth
Few drops of extra virgin olive oil
Parchment paperTo prepare:Wash dried mushrooms in cold water and soak in warm water until soft, about 30 minutes.
Remove mushrooms, squeeze dry, and chop. Reserve liquid for soup stock.
In a small skillet over moderate heat, add oil and butter; when the foam subsides, add shallots and sauté until soft.
Raise heat; add all of the mushrooms and sauté stirring constantly until their liquid has evaporated, about four to five minutes.
Add more olive oil if necessary.
Stir in tarragon, salt and pepper.
Add Madeira and cook until all the liquid has evaporated.
Taste and correct seasonings.
Cool before stuffing chicken breasts.
Can be done ahead and refrigerated up to two days or frozen up to one month.
Rinse chicken breasts and pat dry with paper towels.
With the side of a cleaver or knife, flatten each chicken breast.
Placing one hand directly on top of the chicken and with a boning knife or sharp paring knife in the other hand cut a pocket in the center of each piece. Do not cut all the way through, leave about 1/2 inch on three sides.
Stuff about 1 to 2 tablespoons of cool mushroom mixture in each piece and flatten with hand to seal the edges together.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Tear or cut parchment paper to measure about 16 inches square. Fold in half and using a pencil draw half a heart on the paper and trim to the line.
Open the paper (now it looks like a heart) and lightly brush the inside with oil.
Place the stuffed chicken breast near the centerfold on the bottom half of the heart.
Drizzle vermouth and a drop or two of olive oil on top.
Fold paper over the chicken, matching the edges.
Roll edges two or three times to seal tightly.
Place “half hearts” on a flat baking sheet.
Can be prepared early in the day and refrigerated until ready to bake.To bake and serve: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place packets of chicken on center rack in the oven and bake until paper is puffed and brown and the juices from the chicken run clear when pierced with a meat fork—open one package to test—about 40 to 45 minutes.
The baking time depends on the size of the chicken breast.
Place two papillotes to form a heart, on a large dinner plate. Attractively arrange sugar snap peas and wild rice pilaf along side. Sweetheart Sugar Snap Peas(Serves 2)About 18 to 20 sugar snap peas To prepare:Remove strings from pea pods, drop into a pan of boiling water.
Cook for approximately one minute, drain and plunge peas into cold water to stop the cooking process.
Can be done ahead and set aside in a microwave proof bowl.
Just before serving microwave until hot, about 30 seconds, and serve at once.“Wild For You” Wild Rice Pilaf(Serves 2, with leftovers)1/2 cup wild rice, rinsed and drained
2 to 2 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, or more as needed
4 scallions, trimmed and chopped
1 carrot, chopped fine
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Small handful flat leaf parsley leaves, choppedTo prepare: (Can be done up to two days ahead.)
In a saucepan over high heat, cook wild rice, uncovered until tender, about one hour. Drain well and set aside. Can be done up to one week ahead and refrigerated.
Meanwhile, in a small oven-to- table casserole dish over moderate heat, coat the bottom with oil and sauté scallion and carrot until soft and translucent, about five minutes.
Add cooked rice and sauté, adding a few drops of oil until all the rice is coated with oil.
Remove from heat and set aside.
While the chicken is baking, place casserole of rice in oven to reheat about 20 minutes before the chicken is done.
Fluff with a fork, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.
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