Happy Easter!
Here’s what we’re serving up this Easter Sunday…
Poached Salmon with Feta Caper Dill Sauce
Carrot Radish Salad with Honey Chive Vinaigrette
Wheat Berry Salad with Peas and Pancetta
And for dessert, I took a little help from Giada, with her orange ricotta pound cake. But instead of using Amaretto liqueur, I used St. Germaine, an elderflower liqueur that I think is just loverly for a spring feast. I also spiked my whipped cream with a dash of the liqueur.
What’s on your menu?
Normally I try to keep my diet healthy and fresh. But every once in a while, simple decadence is called for. Like Valentine’s Day. If you are looking for an easy but slightly indulgent meal to make your sweetie, try this menu out! Now three courses may seem like a lot, but I will admit that I took some help from the store in a few places. So feel free to use shortcuts.
First Course- Salad
Mixed Greens with Grapes, Slivered Almonds and Honey Goat Cheese
Simply top pre-packaged mixed baby greens with sliced grapes, slivered almonds and chunks of goat cheese. I found a delicious honey goat cheese that seemed perfect for the occasion. Finish the salad with a drizzle of good quality balsamic vinegar.
Second Course- Surf n’ Turf
Filet & Jumbo Shrimp with Harit Covert and Herbed Couscous
A good filet needs nothing more than salt and pepper to season it. You’re your filet, season generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Drizzle some olive oil into a sauté pan, add the filet and sear on both sides for 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a 350˚ oven to finish cooking to desired doneness. Meanwhile, season your peeled & deveined shrimp with salt and pepper. Sauté in a pan with a little olive oil for 2-3 minutes per side. Then hit with some lemon juice and fresh parsley. Prepare your favorite box of couscous according to package directions. And lastly, toss the harit covert into some salted boiling water and blanch for about 5 minutes, then drain.
Third Course- Dessert
Mini White Chocolate Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce
Those who know me, know that I am not a baker or pastry maker. So I definitely took some help from the store for dessert. I purchased the cheesecake as-is then kicked it up by making a raspberry sauce. Take thawed frozen raspberries and puree in the blender with a little agave nectar (or sugar) to sweeten. You can also use strawberries or any other fruit.
It happened one day after I had been at Whole Foods looking through their herbal tinctures- you know, those little glass bottles of liquid herbal extracts- and was on my way to the liquor store to pick up some wine. I thought to myself, “Self, herbal tinctures are just herbs steeped in alcohol to extract their healing properties. Wine is alcohol. So it makes logical sense that one could steep herbs in wine and extract those same healing benefits. Your brilliant, Self!” As much as I like to believe I have new and noteworthy ideas, I begrudgingly admit that this one isn’t, as it’s been going on under the radar for hundreds of years.
Romance Wine Elixir
Turn everyday table wine into a healthful elixir by infusing with the healing powers of herbs and spices.
This recipe works best with a Merlot, Shiraz, or Cabernet Sauvignon
1 tbsp cocoa nibs
1 tbsp rose hops
3×3” square of cheesecloth
String
Place the nibs and hips in the center of the cheesecloth and tie up with string.
Drop into a decanter and fill with an inexpensive bottle of wine. Allow to steep for at least an hour before drinking. You can also place the herbs/spices directly into the decanter (or wine bottle) if you don’t have cheesecloth.
Cocoa nibs are a Mayan superfood, rich in antioxidants. They are also an excellent source of magnesium which is vital for heart health and relaxation. Rose hips are loaded with Vitamin C and bioflavanoids, helping to strengthen the heart and vascular system in addition to other organs. They also soothe inflammation, nourish the skin, and help relieve stress and nervousness.
Both cocoa nibs and rose hips can be purchased at a health food store.
Equal Exchange is a premier source of Fair Trade coffee and chocolate. I recently tried their Love Buzz coffee blend (perfect of Valentine’s Day) and it was delicious…smooth, rich, and flavorful. Their chocolate is equally as delicious! Here are some great Valentine’s Gifts from Equal Exchange…
Equal Exchange Organic Chocolate & Coffee Pairing Gift Bag. This kit includes a variety of organic coffee and chocolates and packaged in a 100% Recycled Printed Gift Bag. This gift is perfect for a chocolate or coffee lover – and very economical at $34.95 each. (FYI – Their other chocolate bars are currently on sale until February 14th)
Also, share the love with Equal Exchange’s fairly traded (Vegan and gluten-free) Organic Dark Chocolate Minis (55% cacao content). These deliciously rich, bite-sized chocolates are crafted using the best quality organic cacao from small-scale farmer co-operatives in the Dominican Republic and Peru. Price is $5.49 each.
FREE SHIPPING CODE: Equal Exchange chocolate bars on sale until February 14th. They also have a “free shipping” code running until February 14th as well. The code is “chocolatelove”. Free shipping is for UPS ground within the contingent USA only.
As a chef it’s important to know your weaknesses in the kitchen. And I am fully willing to admit that mine is baking. If it’s more complicated than emptying a mix into a bowl, cracking a few eggs, and whisking, don’t expect me to do it well. So you can imagine the panic that pulsed through me when I was asked to bake holiday cookies for some gift baskets. What, me? Really?! But I was up for the challenge… or the cheat. Don’t tell, but I decided to pull a Sandra Lee and take some “semi-homemade” help from the grocery store by purchasing premade sugar cookie dough. I chose an all-natural brand because it’s a little healthier (no trans fats or high fructose corn syrup) and will *hopefully* taste more authentic.
With the basic batter under control, and a little stress off my shoulders, I was free to get creative with the flavors & fillings. I decided to make three different kinds of cookie: Chocolate Cherry Almond, Ginger Sesame Coconut, and Orange Fig Thumb Drops. These recipes are so simple its genius (not to toot my own horn, but “Toot toot”).
Ginger Sesame Coconut
(makes 24 cookies)
14 oz premade sugar cookie dough
¼ cup sesame seeds
¼ cup shredded coconut (unsweetened)
¼ cup chopped crystallized ginger
¼ tsp powdered ginger
Preheat oven to 350. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Chill dough for 30-60 minutes then place ping-pong sized balls of the dough onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown.
Orange Fig Thumb Drops
(makes 24 cookies)
14 oz premade sugar cookie dough
Zest of ½ orange
8.5 oz fig spread
Dash of nutmeg
Preheat oven to 350. Combine fig spread, orange zest and nutmeg in a bowl. Place ping-pong sized balls of sugar cookie dough on an ungreased cookie sheet. Gently press your thumb into the center of each ball to create a little pocket for the filling. Fill each pocket with fig spread (about ½-1 tsp per cookie). Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown.
Chocolate Cherry Almond
(makes 24 cookies)
14 oz premade sugar cookie dough
3 oz dark chocolate chunks
2 oz sliced almonds
4 oz dried cherries
½ tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Chill dough for 30-60 minutes then place ping-pong sized balls of the dough onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown.
