My Valentines Dinner 2010

[caliloo]

Yes, we decided to stay in this year after too many years of disappointing restaurant meals on valentines Day. Good thing I like to cook!

Here is what we had.....

Asparagus in crispy proscuitto with balsamic


Homemade bread


Baby Greens in a parmesan frico cup



Baked Shrimp Scampi


Butterfish Puttanesca with garlic smashed potatoes


Molten Lava Cake with fresh berries

[LucyGoose]

OMG! Most I can't eat, but it sure looks GOOD!!!!

[party_music50]

It looks great! Especially the prosciutto wrapped asparagus w/ balsamic!

I've never had nor heard of Butterfish. What other fish would you compare it to in taste and texture?

[Spider]

Darn, I want to go to your house! I made tortilini alfredo, the alfrado I made from scratch and used fresh parsley as garnish.

[caliloo]

Thanks Everyone

The Butterfish is white and firm and very mild, but we found out (after the fact) from another friend of mine who is a wonderful cook that it can come with some intersting side effects....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escolar

so it probably wont be on the dinner table too often. Fortunately, the portion size was small enough that no one felt any discomfort, but I am not one to take chances either. It wil lbe added to my mental list of fish to avoid or seriously limit consumption.

Anyway, yes it was very tasty and with some serious organization and prep it all came together quite easily. If any of the recipes are of interest, I will happily post them

Alexa

[viktoria]

Did your significant other at least help clean up afterwards?

I think I'll stick to tuna.

Viktoria

[JaneG]

Yes, of course post the recipes!! It all looks delish and your close-up pics are absolutely mouth-watering!

The asparagus w/ prosciutto and the baked shrimp scampi are my favorites already! And I love the little parmesan crisp cups for the salad.

My Valentines Dinner? Well, I had to assist with a bake sale/pancake breakfast fund raiser, so I left at 6:00am and didn't get back home til 3:00. DH was abandoned on Valentines Day . . . . All I managed to do was throw a chuck roast in the crockpot before I left and when I got home I panroasted some sweet corn and peppers to serve with it. I did manage to make a quick vanilla/tapioca/mouse dessert, which I served with some red raspberries on top.

DH was a sweetie and while I was gone he went to the local store and bought a dozen red roses for me. When I got home I took them out of the cellophane to put them in a vase and I noticed there were only 11 roses?! Then I found a stem that had a clean cut at the top where the flower had been snipped off!? I've never worked floral, but perhaps they were cleaning up the bouquets and cutting off the bad-looking blooms, and didn't replace the rose they cut off?? Anyway we had a good laugh at his bouquet of 11 roses! Like he said, leave it to him to screw up something as simple as buying a dozen roses!!

Back to the topic, yes, post the recipes!

[caliloo]

Okay Jane... here are the Asparagus and Shrimp.

Asparagus Wrapped in Crisp Prosciutto with Balsamic glaze

Ingredients:
½ cup balsamic
1 tbsp honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
16 spears fresh asparagus, trimmed
16 slices prosciutto
Coarse salt and cracked pepper

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and coat with olive oil.
Put balsamic in small non-reactive sauce pan. Add honey and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 min or so until reduced by about half and it is thick and syrupy.
Wrap one slice of prosciutto around each asparagus spear, starting at the bottom, and spiraling up to the tip. Place the wrapped spears on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper.
Bake for 5 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove, and shake the pan back and forth to roll the spears over. Return to the oven for another 5-7 minutes, or until asparagus is tender, and prosciutto is crisp.
Drizzle balsamic glaze over the spears and serve immediately
*********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Baked Shrimp Scampi
2008, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics, All Rights Reserved
Serves:
6 servings

Ingredients
• 2 pounds (12 to 15 per pound) shrimp in the shell
• 3 tablespoons good olive oil
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
• 1/4 cup minced shallots
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 extra-large egg yolk
• 2/3 cup panko (Japanese dried bread flakes)
• Lemon wedges, for serving
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Peel, devein, and butterfly the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place the shrimp in a mixing bowl and toss gently with the olive oil, wine, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Allow to sit at room temperature while you make the butter and garlic mixture.
In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the garlic, shallots, parsley, rosemary, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, egg yolk, panko, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until combined.
Starting from the outer edge of a 14-inch oval gratin dish, arrange the shrimp in a single layer cut side down with the tails curling up and towards the center of the dish. Pour the remaining marinade over the shrimp. Spread the butter mixture evenly over the shrimp. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until hot and bubbly. If you like the top browned, place under a broiler for 1 minute. Serve with lemon wedges.

[JaneG]

Thanks Alexa! I noticed the Shrimp is from Barefoot Contessa. I like her cooking style and often have good luck with her recipes, so this should be a sure-fire hit with me!

The recipes are printing and will be put in a folder in the kitchen which holds the recipes I will be trying next. I hope my version tastes as good as yours looks!