Romantic Valentine’s Day Dinner for Two

With Valentine’s Day upon us, it got me thinking about the very first Valentine’s Day meal in our new home, which I prepared for my Valentine 17 years ago!  My culinary skills have greatly improved since then, but I have a fondness for some of those early dishes I use to lovingly prepare for my fireman.

It is still one of my favorite memories of a Valentine’s Day dinner, as we had moved into our first home.  With a newborn and two toddlers it was not an option to even consider going out to dinner as I was still nursing my son.  So I decided set up a “table for two” in front of our fireplace.  On the menu was Clams Casino, Apricot glazed Cornish Game hen, rice pilaf, and artichokes francaise.  For dessert I made a heart-shaped chocolate brownie pie with Bailey’s Irish Cream in the whipped cream.  The demands of motherhood soon called, but it was such a romantic time because we had a private table in a very romantic setting surrounded by the three beautiful reminders of what our love for each other had created. 

To me there isn’t a more perfect way to spend a quiet evening at home, being in love, and being surrounded by the ones you love, in the house that love built.  Below our a few recipes from that special night!

Wishing you and yours the most crazy, sexy, delicious Valentine’s Day ever!

Sinfully,

Susan xoxo

You can double the amount of ingredients and make this on a larger scale for a roast chicken.  One jar of Apricot jelly with a little bit of honey would stretch this perfectly.

I like to use a glass baking dish for these, because I find with baking rack in a roasting pan they get dry.  These stayed perfectly moist and I removed them from the pan after about 5 minutes.  Wash and dry the hens, remove gizzards, discard.  Season cavity with salt and pepper, add in the lemon quarters, rub with dry rub ingredients, drizzle with a little bit of EVOO.  Place in 400° oven for 45 minutes.  Remove from oven, place prepared glaze over the top, and finish roasting another 15 minutes or until their internal temperature reaches 165° F.  Tent with foil for about 10 minutes.  Then slice in half and serve with Rice Pilaf if desired.

Canned or frozen artichokes can be used here.  Just make sure to pat dry with a paper towel.  Season generously with salt and pepper.  These could not be easier.

Set up your flour and egg station.  My kitchen is tiny and I tend to work over my large double sink.  Wow! I need a new cutting board!!  I digress, so you have two eggs here with a healthy dose of pepper sauce, flour is seasoned with salt and pepper, can’t help myself.  I like to dredge in flour, move them to a plate, then do the egg dip, right next to the stove so I can drop into a hot skillet and cook off right quick.

Looking lovely, I add a little bit of EVOO, and let them do their thing.  I used very little so I didn’t need to wipe it out, if you went a bit crazy, wipe the pan out, you don’t want these oily.

Add the butter and swirl it around the pan to make the sauce, let the butter melt, then add in lemon juice, and white wine.  You could use chicken stock in place of wine.  I intended to use capers here, but I ran out, totally fine without, but I do love the briny taste of them.

This is such an elegant, sexy side, that is perfect for a special dinner or can be doubled and served as an appetizer which is what I did that night.  Remove from pan, place on serving plate, spoon over pan sauce.  Finish with fresh chopped Italian leaf parsley, and a squeeze of lemon right before serving.  Serve this immediately to ensure the egg coating is still slightly crisp.

I like to keep this simple.  You can use fresh or frozen peas in this, but I like it with just carrots and onions.  Couldn’t be easier.

The angel hair, gets toasted but it will not be hard when you are done.  It gets soft with the rice and adds a nice nutty flavor.  My Mom always made this the same way, only she used vermicelli, but angel hair is fine in this, and that is all I use.  Now you are ready for the veg.  Add in the  salt, pepper, and veg.  Cook about two minutes more.  Then add the rice and broth.  Let it boil, then turn to simmer, cover for about twenty minutes and let it do its thing!  No lifting the lid!

Finish with some fresh chopped Italian flat leaf parsley, and plate next to your lovely Cornish game hen!