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Valentine Cooking
Lorek
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So my fiancee and I have decided that for Valentine's Day, we're going to be doing a dinner and seeing some kind of romantic movie. Dinner has fallen to me to plan out.
Since we've already done just about every nice restaurant in the area, I thought I would give cooking something fancy and romantic myself. Only problem is my culinary masterpieces so far have been among the likes of kraft dinner and hot dogs.
Thus, I turn to H&A! Please help o' great and mighty forum, I need some romantic recipes that look like they came out of the kitchen of a great chef, yet require none of the experience :P
I still have a whole week to prepare, so don't hold back if something needs a day or two of prep (does anything?).
Thanks!!
Since we've already done just about every nice restaurant in the area, I thought I would give cooking something fancy and romantic myself. Only problem is my culinary masterpieces so far have been among the likes of kraft dinner and hot dogs.
Thus, I turn to H&A! Please help o' great and mighty forum, I need some romantic recipes that look like they came out of the kitchen of a great chef, yet require none of the experience :P
I still have a whole week to prepare, so don't hold back if something needs a day or two of prep (does anything?).
Thanks!!
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dcmUaJWEBA
I made this last night for dinner, it was incredibly delicious and took about 5 minutes of prep time. I only made the pork chops though, so I couldn't tell you how easy making the mushrooms or sauce is.
Good luck!
If so I would make something like brandy steak or norman chicken, both of which involve pouring in alcohol and setting it on fire. It looks quite impressive and tastes really good, and best of all is easy to prepare.
norman chicken:
It's usually steak and chips and salad which is the easiest meal in the world, especially as we have our steak very rare (a couple of minutes on each side in a frying pan). If we're feeling posher, I might have a baked potato instead of chips.
I supoose it's become romantic 'cos we can't afford to have decent steak very often, but it's an idea.
Side dishes, pretty much anything goes, except for pea's and onions.
Oh, and while typing this out, I remembered she's a big fan of garlic.
Note: Invest in some kosher salt or sea salt when you are seasoning meat. It tastes better than table salt.
Now I'm a vegetarian, and that looks delicious to even me.
Prep time and dishes used are considerable, but I guarantee that it will make you seem like a dessert master chef.
Note: This makes a two-layer cake. If you want a smaller dessert you can cut the entire recipe in half.
Ingredients
Cake
1/2 c butter
1/2 c sugar
3 egg yolks
1/2 t vanilla
1/3 c milk
1 1/4 c flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
a tiny pinch of salt
Meringue
3 egg whites
1/2 t lemon juice
1/2 c sugar
1/4 - 1/2 c chopped walnuts
Topping
2 packages (2-3 c) raspberries (strawberries also work if you can get good ones)
1 - 1 1/2 c whipping cream (This does not mean cool whip or some other substitute. Buy some heavy cream and do it right)
1/4 t vanilla
1 - 2 Tablespoons sugar
Glaze
1/3 c lemon juice
1 t grated lemon rind
3/4 c powdered sugar
Instructions: (In brackets are a few editorial comments, since you don't seem to do a lot of cooking)
[Preheat oven to 350 degrees]
Cream the butter and cream in the sugar. Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla. Mix the milk in alternately with the dry ingredients. This makes a very stiff batter. Spread in a thin layer into 2 greased and floured (or greased and sugared) 8-inch round cake pans. Note: Spreading it is a pain, but it doesn't have to look pretty.
[Wash the beaters on your mixer, if you're using one]
Beat the egg whites until very frothy. Add the lemon juice. Slowly beat in the sugar and beat until well blended and stiff enough to stand up on its own. Fold in the chopped nuts. Spread onto the cake batter.
Bake in a 350-degree oven for 30-35 minutes.
[Actual cooking time will vary. Start checking it at 20 minutes, take it out when you can stick a toothpick in the center of each pan and have it come out clean.]
Let them cool for about five minutes, then remove them from the pans onto a rack.
While the cakes are cooling, you are going to do 3 things
1) Wash all the raspberries, if you haven't already, and lay them out on some paper towels to dry off. Move them around a bit sometimes to make sure they dry off as much as possible, but try not to mash them too much.
2) Prepare your glaze:
Mix the lemon juice and lemon rind together. Add the sugar a few spoonfuls at a time. Carefully mash all the sugar lumps with a spoon so that it mixes together properly. Once it's all mixed, let it sit undisturbed until you're ready to put it on.
3) Prepare the whipped cream:
[Wash your beaters again]
Pour the cream (cold) into a bowl. Add 1/4 t vanilla, and a tiny little bit of salt. Start mixing on medium speed, and slowly add sugar. The right ratio is about 1 T sugar per cup of whipping cream. Whip until it can hold a peak on its own.
[Wait until the cakes are entirely cool]
Take one cake, turn it meringue-side down onto whatever plate you plan on serving the cake from. Glaze the (former) bottom with roughly 2/3 of your lemon glaze mixture. Spread it around evenly and let it soak in real good. Put a layer of whipped cream on top of that once the glaze soaks in, then put about half of your raspberries in the layer of cream. Make sure to pick the ones that are mushed, sliced in half, or generally don't look as pretty.
Take the other cake, and place it meringue-side up on top of the first cake. Put as much of the rest of the glaze on top as you feel appropriate. It won't really soak in at all on top of the meringue, but on the other hand it's really tasty. Cover the top of this cake, and the sides of both, with the whipped cream. Carefully arrange all the prettiest raspberries on top in circles. Then, when you run out of room, shove the rest in anywhere they will fit. It will look fantastic no matter what.
[Eat any remaining whipped cream and lemon glaze. Mmmmmmm.]
Place in the refrigerator until it is time to eat it. Note: It only keeps about three days before the cream on the outside starts to get a bit stale. Do not make it more than two days in advance.
Also have everything for that excellent looking cake, I'll be putting that together Friday night or early Saturday morning. We'll see how she goes!
"Stuffed porkchop stuffed over polente and shit..."
Found it amusing.
I'm sure there is an alton brown recipe as well, but it looks like you got it covered with the always entertaining(and good) Mr. Ramsay
Good luck!
1: Get a handful and a half or perhaps two handfuls of strawberries. Cut out the stem, then slice them from stem to tip about 1/3" thick
2: Get an 8" non-stick pan
3: Cover the bottom about 1/4" with balsamic vinegar, (use the good stuff if you can) put over medium/high heat
4: When the vinegar starts to steam drop a few drops of water on it, when the water starts bubbling, toss in the strawberries
5: Cook for about 3-5 minutes, depending on the pan, the stove, and the heat level. You're looking for the vinegar to start looking a little thick and syrupy around the strawberries.
6: Set to cool for about 2-3 minutes, so it isn't boiling hot anymore
7: Serve over vanilla ice cream
8: Cream yourselves
I'm making steak tomorrow night. My fiance likes shrooms, which generally go well with steak. Stores in my area have basic button mushrooms, fresh creminis, and dried porcinis (and portabellas, but she doesn't like those). What sort of mushrooms should I get and what should I do with them? (Background info if it helps: The steak is seared fillet with a little home made herbed butter on top. Side dishes are garlic mashed potatoes and arugula with strawberry balsamic dressing.)
xa52:
I recommend the buttons, as they are are delicious. The porcini are also great, but if they're more expensive the buttons will do just fine.
cut them into slices about 1/4" thick. Warm up olive oil in a pan, throw in some garlic. Once the garlic is golden (or just before) throw in your mushrooms. I recommend a splash of wine in there to keep the mushrooms from sticking/getting crispy. Also for flavour. And to cleanse your palate after each mouthwatering bite of steak.
man. I cannot wait for steak.
edit: thinking about it. go for the porcini. its valentines day. and those babies are MEATY and AWESOME. use the buttons for anyotherday.
editedit: just saw that the porcini are dried. fuck that noise. and if she doesn't like a portabello, cremini are just immature portobello. so you might want to stick with the buttons....
water spirals the wrong way out the sink
Unless you're some type of mushroom freak.
When you sear mushrooms, use very high heat, cold oil, and season with salt and mushroom powder only when you get good color. If you salt mushrooms early they release water which prevents browning, or caramelization. Also, garlic burns at high heat in ten seconds. It should be added near the end of cooking to avoid bitter flavors.
interesting. I keep the heat low. I don't like to scorch my olive oil (cancer?) and to avoid the burned bitter garlic you speak of. I sear the garlic, and the mushrooms quickly, then simmer it all in wine. Slow? maybe.
Also your mushroom powder sounds like a FANTASTIC idea. I may try that this weekend...
Interesting. Let me make sure I got this straight.
Heat the pan. Add oil (this will splatter, right?). Add mushrooms. Cook until they get some color. Add salt, mushroom powder, minced garlic. I should immediately remove it from the heat at that point, I'd assume, to prevent the garlic from burning.
Also, does anyone have some tips on how to combine fresh/frozen raspberries, raspberry jam, raspberry liquor and chocolate into a sauce for ice cream?
edit- The leftover porcini powder sounds like it would be amazing in scrambled eggs.
Four Cheese Spinach Dip
250g Cream Cheese (Philly works well)
8oz (1/2 cup) Alfredo Sauce
16oz (1 cup) Cheddar Cheese (Shredded)
1 250g-300g package of shredded spinach (find them in blocks in the freezer area of the grocery store)
1 Red Bell Pepper (small)
1 Red Onion (small)
1 tablespoon Garlic Paste
1 teaspoon Cajun Spice
Worcestershire Sauce
Tabasco Sauce
Whatever you want to dip in it -- Tortilla Chips, Pita bread, Naan Bread, whatever.
- Heat some oil in a pan over medium heat, dice up the pepper and onion and add it to the pan. While this cooks:
- Put spinach in a clean dish towel and twist it around tightly to drain the spinach. Do this a few times until it is fairly dry, and set aside.
- Put block of cream cheese in the microwave for 15-20 seconds. You want to mush it up a bit, not cook it. Leave a paper layer on the bottom between the cheese and the plate for this step.
- Mix the cream cheese and Alfredo sauce together in a medium bowl.
- Add garlic paste, spice, dash of Worcestershire, and Tabasco to the mixture.
- If the onions and peppers are ready, add them to the mixture along with the spinach. You might want to tear it apart a bit because it will probably be clumped up together in knots.
- Mix everything thoroughly.
Now you can put this in a dish (shallow works best so it cooks evenly) to eat when you're ready. Top with the shredded cheddar. When you want to eat it, pop it in the microwave for 3-4 minutes. If you use a deep dish you'll need to go longer and you risk ruining the top/sides of the dip.. so go shallow.
Enjoy
Fail. Roses and the whole shabang.
The harder the rain, honey, the sweeter the sun.