A good meal is a great way to treat yourself or a loved one on Valentine's day - but getting a table at a restaurant without reservations can be difficult. Home cooking adds a personal touch, and may allow you to be more creative with your dishes, all while saving you a hit in the pocketbook. Here are some fast recipes that are easy enough for anyone to make, and fit any dining style.
Vodka Cream Pasta- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, once around the pan in a slow stream- 1 tablespoon butter- 2 cloves garlic, minced- 1 small onion, minced- 1 cup vodka- 1 cup chicken stock- 1 can crushed tomatoes (32 ounces)- Coarse salt and pepper- 16 ounces pasta, such as penne rigate- 1/2 cup heavy cream- 20 leaves fresh basil, shredded or torn- Crusty bread, for passing
Homemade sauceHeat a large skillet over moderate heat. Add oil, butter, garlic, and onions. Gently saute onions for 3 to 5 minutes to develop their sweetness. Add vodka to the pan, 3 turns around the pan in a steady stream will equal about 1 cup. Reduce vodka by half, this will take 2 or 3 minutes. Add chicken stock (skip if using canned sauce), tomatoes. Bring sauce to a bubble and reduce heat to simmer. Season with salt and pepper.While sauce simmers, cook pasta in salted boiling water until cooked to al dente (with a bite to it). Stir cream into sauce (skip if using canned sauce). When sauce returns to a bubble, remove it from heat. Drain pasta. Toss hot pasta with sauce and basil leaves. Pass pasta with crusty bread. (For those of you under 21, another option is to buy canned vodka sauce, they'll never know the difference.)
Deconstructed Steak Wraps- 1 8 ounce. ribeye steak (or 2 portabello mushrooms)- 1 red bell pepper, sliced- Chili powder, cumin, garlic to taste- 4 leaves romaine lettuce- 2 cups watercress- 1/2 tbsp. olive oil- 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice
Cilantro cream- 1 cup sour cream- 1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped- Remaining bell pepper, finely diced- 1 dash hot sauce- 1/2 tsp. ground chilies
Cut steak (or mushrooms) and pepper into strips, marinate with butter, chilli powder, cumin and garlic, grill. Save the bottom of the pepper. Toss watercress with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Plate with steak (or mushrooms) on top of lettuce leaf, pile red peppers and watercress mixture in separate piles. Mix cilantro cream ingredients and serve on the side, on cored bell pepper top. Construct your own wrap as you go along.
I-Heart-You Salad- 1 heart romaine lettuce, shredded- 1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves (pick the greens of half a bundle from produce department)- 1 (14-ounce) can, hearts of palm, drained- 1/4 pound prosciutto or bacon- 1 can quartered artichoke hearts in water, drained- 1/4 pound wedge Parmesan cheese- Balsamic vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling- Salt and pepper
Place three artichoke hearts in center of plate. Toss romaine with parsley tops and diced prosciutto or bacon, then cover artichoke hearts. Shred cheese with a vegetable peeler into short ribbons, working over the salad plate. Lean hearts of palm against salad. Drizzle the salad with balsamic vinegar and oil; season with salt and pepper.
Mushroom Ravioli- 2 packages (11-ounce) fresh wild mushroom ravioli- 1 cup unsalted butter- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves- 1 green onion, chopped- 6 tablespoons toasted pine nuts- 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg- 2/3 cup grated Parmesan
Cook the ravioli in a large pot of boiling salted water until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Drain and put on a platter.Meanwhile, cook the butter in a heavy medium frying pan over medium-high heat until pale golden, about 4 minutes. Add the onion and basil leaves and cook until lightly fried, about 2 minutes. Add the pine nuts. Pour over the cooked ravioli. Grate 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg directly over ravioli. Sprinkle Parmesan over dish and serve.
Cheese Fondue- 1 pound Gruyere cheese, coarsely grated- 8 ounces Emmentaler cheese, coarsely grated- 4 teaspoons cornstarch- 1 garlic clove, halved- 1 1/2 cups dry white wine- 2 teaspoons lemon juice- Freshly ground pepper- Freshly grated nutmeg, pinch
In a large bowl combine the cheeses and cornstarch and toss to coat. Rub the inside of a heavy saucepan with the garlic and discard the garlic. Add the wine and lemon juice and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in the cheese mixture gradually over moderate heat, stirring until smooth. Season with pepper and nutmeg. Simmer mixture for 2-3 minutes and transfer to a fondue stand set over a low flame. Serve immediately, taking care to remember to continually stir the fondue to prevent it from separating.
Chocolate Fondue- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, reserve 1/4 cup to thin if fondue begins to thicken- 4 bittersweet chocolate bars, chopped, 3 1/2 ounces each
Suggested Dippables,choose 3 or 4 selections of the following:- Hazelnut or almond biscotti- Salted pretzel sticks- Cubed pound cake- Sliced bananas- Stem strawberries- Sectioned navel oranges- Ripe fresh diced pineapple
Heat 1/2 cup cream in a heavy non-reactive sauce pot over moderate heat until cream comes to a low boil. Remove the pan from the heat and add chocolate. Let the chocolate stand in hot cream 3 to 5 minutes to soften, then whisk chocolate together with the cream. Transfer the fondue to a fondue pot or set the mixing bowl on a rack above a small lit candle. If fondue becomes too thick, stir in reserved cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, to desired consistency.Arrange your favorite dippables in piles on a platter along side fondue with fondue forks, bamboo skewers or seafood forks, as utensils, for dipping.
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