Platinum Celebrations
A Simply Romantic Valentine Dinner for Two
By Jeanne Benedict
2 tablespoons Alize passion fruit liqueur
3 tablepoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 small head red leaf lettuce, washed
2 hearts of palm stalks
2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
Preparation
Whisk together liqueur, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
Tear lettuce into bite-size pieces and place in a large bowl. Cut hearts of palm stalks into 1/2-inch slices and add to lettuce. Pour dressing over ingredients and toss to coat.
Divide salad between 2 serving plates. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds on top and serve.
Makes 2 servings
Note:
Hearts of palm are velvety white stalks and are usually canned and packed in brine. They be found in the canned vegetable section, typically next to the artichokes, of your local grocery store.
1 lb. asparagus spears, washed
1 cup fresh raspberries
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
Preparation
Preheat oven to 450F (205C). Trim about 1/2-inch off bottom end of asparagus and place in a 9 x 13 baking dish.
Using the back of a spoon, force raspberries through a sieve over a bowl to strain juice from seeds. Add oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to raspberry juice and whisk until combined. Pour mixture over asparagus spears and turn spears to coat.
Cook for 8-10 minutes until spears are roasted. Remove from heat and arrange on a platter. Pour Raspberry Sauce over asparagus and serve warm.
Makes 2 to 4 servings and about 1/2 cup of sauce
4 boneless, skinless half chicken breasts, fat trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup canned (marinated in water) artichoke hearts, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan
1 cup cooked instant couscous, unseasoned
1/2 cup ground pistachio nuts
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
12 wooden picks, soaked in water
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350F (160C). Grease baking sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Pound chicken breast with a kitchen mallet to 1/4-inch thickness. Rub remaining olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper on chicken breasts.
Mix together artichoke, garlic, Parmesan, couscous, pistachios, lemon juice, and, oil until combined.
Mound 1/2 cup artichoke mixture along center, on underside of chicken breast. Wrap breast around mixture by pulling edges from long sides of breast up over mixture. Overlap edges of breast on top of mixture and insert a wooden pick to secure edges closed. Place chicken, wooden pick side down, on prepared baking sheet.
Cook for 40 minutes until chicken center is no longer pink. Remove from heat and arrange on platter or individual plates.
Makes 2 to 4 servings
3 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate
5 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs, pastuerized
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 tablespoon Kahlua
Preparation
Melt chocolate over medium-low heat in top of double boiler, stirring constantly. Cool 8 minutes. Beat sugar and eggs in medium bowl until mixture thickens and is pale yellow. Beat in melted chocolate, until incorporated. Add cream and beat until cream thickens. Dissolve espresso powder in Kahlua and stir into mixture until blended. Pour chocolate mixture into 2 to 4 stemmed glasses. Refrigerate uncovered until chocolate mousse sets, about 3 hours. Place glass on individual plates and serve cool. Store covered in plastic wrap for up to 4 days.
Makes 2 to 4 servings
Take pleasure in simplicity this Valentine’s Day by creating an easy and elegant dinner for two. Scatter a rose petal path leading to a dining table lush with aphrodisiac fare. Romance your paramour with a gesture from the heart, such as a line of poetry during dessert. It’s as simple as that.
Set the Stage For Romance
Sometimes the element of surprise is all you need to set the stage for romance. Plan your rendezvous in an unexpected place like the living room or even the bedroom. If you can, use your regular dining table or a simple card table will do. Dress the table in classic Valentine’s Day colors of red, pink or white. Complete the look with your best china and fine silverware.
A Rose Petal by Any Other Name…
While a bouquet of roses can capture one’s heart, strewn rose petals can certainly play on the heartstrings. The average rose bloom yields about 25 petals and will fill a 4-inch square area on your tabletop.
Scatter rose petals from your threshold to the dining table. Then create a plush pile of petals and tea-lights as a simple table centerpiece. You can also accent food by placing petals on the rim of your dinner plates. To learn the meaning behind each color of rose, read here and chose your colors wisely.Aphrodisiac Food
5 Simple Gestures of Love
- Create a handmade Valentine card
- Feed your partner grapes
- Read an impromptu poem
- Learn a few French “love” phrases
- Illuminate every room with candlelight
An “aphrodisiac ” is any food, drink, herb, or spice that puts you in the mood for love. When entertaining that special someone, heat things up with sensuous food and their amorous facts to spark conversation while dining.
Enjoy the dinner menu below. It’s filled with known aphrodisiacs like passion fruit, pomegranate seeds, asparagus and artichokes. Sprinkle in a simple gesture of love and you have the recipe for a perfect rendezvous.
We’re in the mood for love, so send some our way with your party ideas and photos. We invite you to visit our Valentine’s Day page for more romantic ideas and if you need a suggestion, post a question in my forum. Happy Valentine’s Day!
Red Passion Salad
Ingredients2 tablespoons Alize passion fruit liqueur
3 tablepoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 small head red leaf lettuce, washed
2 hearts of palm stalks
2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
Preparation
Whisk together liqueur, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
Tear lettuce into bite-size pieces and place in a large bowl. Cut hearts of palm stalks into 1/2-inch slices and add to lettuce. Pour dressing over ingredients and toss to coat.
Divide salad between 2 serving plates. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds on top and serve.
Makes 2 servings
Note:
Hearts of palm are velvety white stalks and are usually canned and packed in brine. They be found in the canned vegetable section, typically next to the artichokes, of your local grocery store.
Asparagus with Light Raspberry Sauce
Ingredients1 lb. asparagus spears, washed
1 cup fresh raspberries
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
Preparation
Preheat oven to 450F (205C). Trim about 1/2-inch off bottom end of asparagus and place in a 9 x 13 baking dish.
Using the back of a spoon, force raspberries through a sieve over a bowl to strain juice from seeds. Add oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to raspberry juice and whisk until combined. Pour mixture over asparagus spears and turn spears to coat.
Cook for 8-10 minutes until spears are roasted. Remove from heat and arrange on a platter. Pour Raspberry Sauce over asparagus and serve warm.
Makes 2 to 4 servings and about 1/2 cup of sauce
Chicken, Artichoke, and Pistachio Paupiettes
Ingredients4 boneless, skinless half chicken breasts, fat trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup canned (marinated in water) artichoke hearts, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan
1 cup cooked instant couscous, unseasoned
1/2 cup ground pistachio nuts
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
12 wooden picks, soaked in water
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350F (160C). Grease baking sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Pound chicken breast with a kitchen mallet to 1/4-inch thickness. Rub remaining olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper on chicken breasts.
Mix together artichoke, garlic, Parmesan, couscous, pistachios, lemon juice, and, oil until combined.
Mound 1/2 cup artichoke mixture along center, on underside of chicken breast. Wrap breast around mixture by pulling edges from long sides of breast up over mixture. Overlap edges of breast on top of mixture and insert a wooden pick to secure edges closed. Place chicken, wooden pick side down, on prepared baking sheet.
Cook for 40 minutes until chicken center is no longer pink. Remove from heat and arrange on platter or individual plates.
Makes 2 to 4 servings
Chocolate Espresso Mousse
Ingredients3 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate
5 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs, pastuerized
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 tablespoon Kahlua
Preparation
Melt chocolate over medium-low heat in top of double boiler, stirring constantly. Cool 8 minutes. Beat sugar and eggs in medium bowl until mixture thickens and is pale yellow. Beat in melted chocolate, until incorporated. Add cream and beat until cream thickens. Dissolve espresso powder in Kahlua and stir into mixture until blended. Pour chocolate mixture into 2 to 4 stemmed glasses. Refrigerate uncovered until chocolate mousse sets, about 3 hours. Place glass on individual plates and serve cool. Store covered in plastic wrap for up to 4 days.
Makes 2 to 4 servings
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