A Valentine’s Dinner to Remember If Elvis can get us ready to revel during Mardi Gras, who better than Ol’ Blue Eyes himself to get us in the mood for Valentine’s Day? In the song, “My Funny Valentine,” Mr. Sinatra sings to his Valentine, crooning the lyrics “your looks are laughable, unphotographable, yet you’re my favorite work of art.” That may have worked for the debonair troubadour, but I’m here to tell you, I would advise against starting out Valentine’s Day by announcing to your sweetheart that his or her “looks are laughable.” Instead of handing you a well-thought and carefully selected gift, your honey may just throw a precious present straight at you. Since most of us do not have the talents of Frank Sinatra (I don’t even have a fedora), I would suggest wooing your Valentine with something special like a dinner for two that you have lovingly, yet oh-so-effortlessly have prepared. With the aid of some of our friendly confectioners and caterers, you can present a wonderful spread for Valentine’s Dinner with ease.
Honey Balsamic Vinai grette
Note: I just love Mrs. Lucy Zaunbrecher, author of Classic Cajun and Classic Cajun Deux. I had the privilege of meeting and working with “Miss Lucy” when I was a student at Mississippi College and she needed someone to design her set for her television show. Miss Lucy says that Cajuns were never big on salads, but she does like fresh vegetables, and living on a farm, they are plentiful. One of the tricks that I picked up from Miss Lucy was to make dressing in a Mason jar. It’s so easy to make your own and it’s in its own storage container! In a Mason jar, add: ¼ cup aged balsamic vinegar ¼ cup honey 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic ½ teaspoon Kosher salt 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 cup extra virgin olive oil Shake vigorously and taste for seasoning (add a big more salt if you like). Store in the refrigerator until ready to dress the salads, then shake again until well blended. Refrigerate leftover dressing.
Honey Roasted Pecans
4 cups shelled pecans Cold water 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 tablespoons butter 1/3 cup brown sugar 2 teaspoons Kosher salt 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon ½ teaspoon cumin ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/3 cup honey Place the pecans in a large microwaveable dish and cover with cold water. Microwave on high for ten minutes. Drain the pecans, then lay out on paper towels and pat dry. While the pecans are drying, wash and dry the dish, then use the dish to mix the remaining ingredients. Add the dry pecans and toss to thoroughly coat. Microwave on high 5-7 minutes, stirring every minute to ensure even cooking. Spread the pecans evenly on waxed paper to cool and dry. Once you have impressed your sweetheart with a bowl of heart-warming soup and a thoughtfully prepared salad, you have one more chance to show off your culinary skills.
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Nothing says romance like using “the good china.” Use it. If you don’t know how to lay out a proper place setting, send us a message. We’re here to help and we don’t want you to make the mistake of singing that “unphotographable” line. For starters, call on Kim Verhagen at the Coffee Bean for her scrumptious tomato basil soup, or give Patra Fontenot a ring to order some of the smoked gouda bisque that Vieux Carre Gourmet has become famous for. You’ll want to follow the soup with a light, flavorful salad. You can do it yourself, I promise. For an easy salad, chill two salad plates and the salad forks in the refrigerator, then set to work on the dressings and toppings. I like mixed salad greens topped with sweet, seedless grapes, honey roasted pecans and a balsamic vinaigrette. If you like bleu cheese or goat cheese, feel free to add it! Here are the recipes that you’ll need: For the main course, make it sweet and savory with my
Maple Pecan Pork Chops with roasted sweet potatoes:
Maple Pecan Pork Chops 4 lean, boneless pork chops 2 teaspoons Creole mustard 3 tablespoons flour 1 teaspoon ground ginger ½ teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons maple syrup -- it’s a special occasion, yes, use the good stuff! 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme 2 tablespoons chopped roasted pecans (hint, hint….you “roasted” pecans for the salad. Use ‘em!) Spread Creole mustard on pork chops, covering both sides with a thin layer. Combine flour with ginger and pepper. Dredge the pork chops in the flour mixture. In a large skillet, heat olive oil and butter over medium high heat. Add the pork chops and cook 3-4 minutes on each side, or until browned. Combine maple syrup, thyme and pecans to pork chops and stir to coat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, about 20 to 25 minutes, or until they are very tender. Serve with Roasted Sweet Potatoes. Roasted Sweet Potatoes 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch-cubes 4 tablespoons olive oil 4 large garlic cloves, minced 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes Preheat oven to 450°F. In large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and toss. Arrange potato cubes in single layer on heavyweight rimmed baking sheet or in 13x9inch baking dish (I line mine with foil). Place on top rack of oven and roast until tender and slightly browned, about 40 minutes. After the labor of love, plate the Roasted Sweet Potatoes with the Maple Pecan Pork Chops, allowing some of the glaze from the pork chops to drizzle over the potatoes. With your sweetheart feeling warm and fuzzy with your delicious dinner that you have so lovingly prepared and perfectly served, dessert is a must, but it must not require any more work on your part. Valentine’s Day requires only one thing… Chocolate. When it comes to chocolate, we’ve got you covered. Well, Bayou Chocolate has you covered -- they’ve even got strawberries covered in the most delectable chocolate and white chocolate. What better ending to a perfect Valentine’s Dinner than a tray of chocolate covered strawberries or assorted chocolates? I’d say that even Mr. Sinatra couldn’t beat that.Happy Valentine’s Day!