Weekend Recipe: Valentine’s Day Sampler

Nothing is more romantic to me than an evening that features light fare, music, and maybe a little dancing to go along with it. On one of the most romantic dates I ever had, my date had the taxi driver stop at this little park on the way to our next destination, and we just danced for a few minutes under the stars.

Enough mushy gushy!

Many of you will be celebrating your Valentine’s day over the weekend. If so, here is a great plan for doing it yourself and you’ll have all Saturday to prepare for it.

Samplers are a great way to enjoy something that is normally very decadent and expensive, for less money and a lot less guilt. Not to mention, eating a little less on romantic evenings will allow you to move a little more freely on the dance floor. What’s more – alcohol tends to take up a lot of extra space in your tummy, whether you’re just enjoying a glass of champagne or planning to share a bottle of wine, so you’ll need some extra room. Hint, ladies: Ditch the beer. Not only does it make your breath stink REALLY badly, it leads to bloating. Ugh! Avoid.

These are a few of my favorite romantic recipes. Remember to serve them in very small portions. Enjoy!

Crispy Duck Wontons

I had a similar version of these crispy duck-filled wontons at a lovely Tampa restaurant. Although the recipe here indicates a level of “difficult,” they must be comparing it to macaroni and cheese. There is nothing difficult about this recipe at all. A possible alternative is the duck ginger wontons, which is closer to what I had.

Recipe for Duck and Apple Wontons

Tuna Sashimi w/Ginger Soy Lime Vinaigrette

I am a sashimi purist. Tuna sashimi should never be sauteed or seared, or cooked in any way. If it is cooked, it is not sashimi!

Find the highest grade of tuna you can possibly find. Unless you are a trained sushi chef, your best bet is to have the supplier cut the fish for you at the time you purchase it, and only a few hours at the most before you are going to serve it. They should be willing to cut it for you.

In my opinion, tuna sashimi is best when served with a light sauce that is actually poured over the fish, not a dipping sauce. Soy sauce isn’t enough; try the vinaigrette instead!

Recipe for Tuna Sashimi with Ginger-Soy-Lime Vinaigrette

Ginger Soy Lime Vinaigrette recipe reprinted below for your convenience

1 small shallot, minced
1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup lime juice
1/3 cup olive oil

“In a small bowl, stir together the shallot, ginger, a few grinds of pepper, soy sauce, and lime juice. Whisking continuously, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Set aside. When ready to serve, whisk the dressing thoroughly to recombine the ingredients.”

Butternut Squash Soup

I prefer butternut squash soup to be a little on the savory side, so to spice it up and make it special for Valentine’s day, try adding lime & a touch of sea salt or cayenne pepper.

Although squash is seasonal, unless you live in a region that gorges on squash all winter long, there should still be some left for you to cook with this weekend.

Recipe for Simple Butternut Squash Soup

Mini Creme Brulee

Yum! One of my favorite desserts. You do NOT need a torch, as the recipe below will show you. All you need is a broiler!

Recipe for Creme Brulee

Butternut squash soup image credit: hacronym.com

Mini creme brulee image credit: Mr+G (Flickr)

Tagged as: bcb network: food & travel, recipe