February is upon us, and if you’re like me and most of
the country, you’re wondering what to do for Valentine’s Day this year. Many
years ago, hubby and I were big on fans of the Valentine’s Day traditions;
roses, cards, going out to dinner. But as we aged, our enthusiasm for Valentine’s
day waned. The roses were the 1st to go. They don’t last long, so in
place of the red petals, he brings home a bouquet of mixed flowers, and usually a day or
two before Valentine’s Day. Cards were nixed a few years back, too. (It was
kiddo, who, when searching for a birthday card for hubby, became aggravated
when he couldn’t find a nice one and did the math, showing how much we spent
each year on cards for all occasions, then pointed out they all landed in the
trash. Hence, we adopted a new tradition of not buying cards for any occasion and
it’s worked out pretty well.) Lastly, several years back, I grew tired of the
crowds and hurriedness of Valentine’s Day dinner in a restaurant and decided I’d
rather cook something special at home, and when I say cook, I mean hubby cooks.
(He’s a better chef than me!) So, if you’re like us and plan to have dinner at
home, here are a few recipes I pulled from the internet to make your night
special Enjoy!
(Please note I have not made any of these dishes, so I
cannot comment on the taste.)
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White Wine Coq Au Vin
Country Living |
White Wine Coq Au Vin
Ingredients:
2 tsp. olive oil
4 oz. pancetta, cut
into 1/2-inch pieces
1 (3 1/2- to
4-pound) whole chicken, cut into 10 pieces
Kosher salt and freshly
ground black pepper
1 lb. cremini mushrooms,
quartered
2 medium onions,
chopped
2 leeks (white and
light green parts only), halved and sliced
2 cloves garlic,
chopped
2 tbsp. all-purpose
flour
1 (750-milliliter)
bottle dry white wine
1/2 c. chicken stock
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
6 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves
1/4 c. fresh tarragon,
chopped
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add pancetta and cook,
stirring occasionally, until browned, 2 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon,
transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
Cook, skin side down, until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to plate.
Increase heat to
medium-high. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 6 to
8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and add onions, leeks, and garlic. Cook,
stirring occasionally, until light golden brown and tender, 8 to 9 minutes. Add
flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Gradually add wine, stirring constantly.
Add stock, mustard, thyme, and bay leaves; bring to a simmer.
Return pancetta and
chicken (skin sides up) to pot; cover and transfer to oven. Cook until chicken
is fork-tender and cooked through, 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Discard thyme and bay leaves. Serve topped with tarragon
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Strip Steak w/ Lemon Mashed Potatoes
Country Living |
Strip Steak with Lemon Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb. Yukon
gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
Kosher salt and freshly
ground black pepper
1 c. fresh or
frozen peas
2 tsp. lemon zest plus 2
tablespoons juice
3 tbsp. olive oil,
divided
2 (3/4-inch-thick)
strip steaks (about 1 1/2 pounds total)
2 small shallots,
thinly sliced
1/2 c. dry white wine
1 1/2 tbsp.
unsalted butter
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Place potatoes in a large pot; cover with cold salted water. Bring to a boil, reduce
heat, and simmer until tender, 15 to 18 minutes, adding peas during the last 3
minutes of cooking. Drain and return vegetables to the pot. Add lemon zest and
juice and 2 tablespoons oil; mash. Season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, heat
remaining tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season steak
with salt and pepper. Cook to desired degree of doneness, 3 to 5 minutes per
side for medium-rare. Transfer steak to cutting board and let rest 5 minutes
before slicing; reserve skillet.
Reduce heat to medium.
Add shallots to reserved skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 2
to 4 minutes. Add wine and 1/4 cup water. Cook, scraping up any browned bits
with a wooden spoon, until liquid is reduced by half, 4 to 6 minutes; remove
from heat. Add butter and swirl pan to melt; stir in juices from cutting board.
Season with salt and pepper. Serve steak topped with sauce and potatoes
alongside.
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Sweet & Smokey Salmon
Country Living |
Sweet-and-Smoky Cedar-Planked Salmon
Ingredients:
2 tbsp. light brown
sugar
2 tsp. smoked
paprika
1 tsp. grated lemon
zest
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black
pepper
1 2 1/2-pound
skin-on salmon fillet
Directions
Soak a large
cedar grilling plank (about 15 inches by 7 inches) in water, 1 to 2 hours.
Heat grill to medium.
Combine sugar, paprika, lemon zest, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a
bowl. Season salmon with salt and rub spice mixture all over flesh side.
Place salmon on soaked
plank, skin side down. Grill, covered, to desired doneness, 25 to 28 minutes
for medium.
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Pork Roast w/ Dried Fruits
Country Living |
Pork Roast with Dried Fruit and Fresh Herbs
Ingredients:
1 c. dried figs
1 c. dried apricots
1 c. dried cherries
2 1/2 c. dry red
wine
3 stick cinnamon
2 1/2 tbsp. finely
chopped fresh rosemary
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Fresh ground
black pepper
2 clove garlic
2 tbsp. extra-virgin
olive oil
3 1/2 lb. boneless
pork loin roast
Directions:
Heat oven to 500
degrees. Bring the dried fruit, wine, and cinnamon sticks to a boil in a small
saucepan. Remove from heat and let steep for 20 minutes. Drain the fruit,
discarding the cinnamon sticks. Toss the rosemary, salt, pepper, and garlic
together and rub 2 tablespoons of the mixture on the inside of the roast. Layer
with the steeped fruit and roll the roast tightly into a log. Tie with butchers
twine. Rub the outside of roast with oil and the remaining rosemary mixture and
place on a rack set in a roasting pan. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees
and roast until temperature reaches 155 degrees, about 1 hour. Allow pork to
rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
*** For more recipes, here is the link to Country Living:
https://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/g1115/romantic-valentines-day-dinners/?slide=43
