I’m not one of them. For someone like me, whose idea of religion consists of food and love, it’s the perfect kind of holiday. In fact, Valentine’s Day is my second favorite holiday — right after Thanksgiving. And yes, I understand it’s corporate derived to get you to buy loads of chocolate, wine, flowers and jewelry — but like anything, I think Valentine’s Day is what you make of it.
I like to make it about cooking and love — MeatLove. (more…)
I love to cook — but even I want get the hell out of the kitchen on Valentine’s Day.
That was a lot easier before we had a rugrat. Now, our babysitting trades all want that day out, too (and they have family close-by that can manage their kiddos for the night.)
On Valentine’s Day morning, I set the table with a bouquet of red heart-shaped balloons and whip up some red velvet pancakes topped with mascarpone and little gummy hearts, then I turn the remaining batter into cupcakes with mascarpone frosting, topped with those same little gummy hearts from Trader Joes (fruit juice sweetened and nothing artificial.) The kiddo goes crazy for this tradition (and Hubsy and I love it too!) But that means any sort of one-on-one V-day fun, either has to be planned for another night (not really Valentine’s Day, then) or we make the best of things after sending the little man off to bed.
Cooking After-Hours
That means it’s after 8pm and I obviously want to cook something that tastes beautiful and is satisfying and romantic but I still wanna have some energy left for l’amour. How do you pull it off? With a wee bit of help from the freezer section, the skill of a perfectly cooked steak and a little flourish in the garnish department.
No matter what kind of cocktails you decide to have, I suggest getting a bottle of some juicy red wine to serve with this mouthwatering meat — some of my favorites are a good Barbara d’Alba or Sangiovese.
Steak: Cuts
You can use any cut of beef you prefer from the inexpensive skirt and flank to T-bone, and sirloin cuts all the way to NY York Strip and the tenderloin cuts like Chateaubriand and Filet Mignon.
I, of course, am a huge fan of the tenderloin cuts but since they’re more expensive (not as expensive as eating them out) if you want to save some dough, you could opt for a flash grill on a skirt or flank steak — even a lean sirloin can be wonderfully tender and delicious if not overcooked. (It’s the fat marbling that people rely on for a tender juicy steak — but it doesn’t have to be fat-laden to be good.)
Steak Prep: As You Like it
Though I know there are people who cannot stand any pink in their meat– I say that it’s really not steak unless you see some pink — if you prefer your steak well-done, do yourself a favor and opt for a less expensive cut of meat because otherwise you are just wasting your money. The more expensive cuts only pay off if you eat your steak, at the very least, medium.
For me, medium rare to rare (not blue mind you) is the only way to go to get that juicy, succulent flavor that has me salivating just thinking about it and my theory is — the rarer the meat the more raring to go your honey will be post meal time.
As far as what to season your steak with, that’s completely a matter of taste but, as is ALWAYS my mantra when it comes to steak — less is more. Less cooking, less seasoning, less fuss — more meaty flavor. I think the key to a great steak lies in the trinity that happens before it hits the pan — patting it dry, seasoning simply with sea salt and pepper (both sides) and the small nob of butter (1/2 Tbsp) that has been melted in your hot pan — and the resting after it leaves the pan.
Always make sure that your pan is hot (not smoking and butter not burning but hot) before adding meat to it, this will ensure that your meat cooks properly, that it browns well and that it doesn’t stick to the bottom of your pan. For a 1 to 1 1/2 inch thick steak, cook the meat for 2 minutes before turning, 2 minutes on the opposite side, then flip and cook for 1 more minute each side. Then, remove the meat from the pan and let it rest, sealing in the juices. If you have a thicker cut like Filet Mignon, the start is the same to get all those beautiful browned butter tones but instead of resting the meat at this point you would instead finish your steak in a pre-heated 425 degree oven for 4 to 6 minutes depending on the thickness.
You can use a meat thermometer to gauge your meat’s doneness, but be sure to take it out a few degrees cooler as it will continue to cook as it rests. Here are some temperature guidelines for cooking steak to your desired level of donenes. All temps are measured at the core of the meat.
Rare — (52 °C or 126 °F) Browned outside with the center bright red and slightly warm.
Medium rare — (55 °C or 131 °F) Browned with a pink to red center — warm center.
Medium — (63 °C or 145 °F) Browned and pink in the center — hot.
Medium well done — (68 °C or 154 °F) Browned with a grayish brown to lightly pink center– hot.
Well done — (73 °C or 163 °F) Browned to slightly charred and grayish brown all the way through.
Ravishing Nigella is all dressed up!
Steak: Dress it Up with a Post-Marinade
There is one other way I like my steak — it’s a preparation my hubby made for me for the first time in 2010 (yes, The GrooVy Hubby can cook!), he got it from the fabulous Nigella Lawson‘s Nigella Express cookbook (a favorite of his, I suspect, for the ease of the dishes, as well as the dishy pics of the gorgeous Ms. Nigella herself.) She calls it Steak Slice with Lemon and Thyme and it tastes amazing over fresh arugula and a generous shave of parm or paired with pomme frites (fancy French-speak for fries.) The technique is simple in that you create a marinade of lemon, thyme and garlic for the steak to rest in, post cooking. The result is vibrant, juicy and packed with flavor.
Since the steak is going to take you about 15 to 20 minutes to prepare and you want this all to come together like clockwork, with as little prep and work as possible, I suggest grabbing a bag of Alexia Yukon Gold Julienne Fries. If you have not had these, you should give them a whirl (I did not get paid to say this nor did I get samples– I just like ’em!) They’re organic and seasoned with sea salt, super easy and crisp outside with a soft potato-y inside– just the way a fry should be. And you can jazz them up the way Kristen over at Dine and Dish did for Alexia’s recent Reinvent a Classic Fry Challenge.
The fries take about 15-20 minutes in the oven, so pop them in before your steak hits the pan.
A Little Greenery
1 head of broccoli
1Tbsp of olive oil
3/4 tsp of sea salt
If you’re into veg– like I am– try tossing a cut up head of broccoli in a Tbsp of olive oil and 3/4 tsp of sea salt, then spread it out on a cookie sheet and throw it in the oven. Cook for about 8 minutes, until the edges of the broccoli get slightly browned and crisp. This is one of my favorite ways to eat broccoli.
Crimini mushrooms, red onion and Italian herb blend
Sauteed Mushrooms and Onions
1 small red onion, cut in half and thin-sliced
1 carton of crimini or button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, smashed and minced
1Tbsp of oil (olive oil and left over steak pan oil/butter)
1/4 cup red wine
1 tbsp butter
Season with sea salt and pepper to taste
Once your steaks are out of their skillet, resting, add olive oil to your pan (enough to bring the level up to 1 tbsp total) and bring it back up to temp, adding 1 minced clove of garlic, thinly sliced red onions and your thin-sliced crimini or button mushrooms. Saute until the onion begins to caramelize and the mushrooms brown around the edges. Then deglaze the pan with 1/4 cup of your red wine, moving the mushrooms and onions around in the pan to remove all the beef drippings from the bottom. Reduce heat to a simmer, to let some of the alcohol cook off. Then finish with 1 tbsp of butter, salt and fresh ground pepper once removed from the heat. You can serve the mushroom mixture atop your sliced steak or on the side with your broccoli for a savory addition.
Once your mushrooms and onions are finishing and your fries and broccoli are nearly done baking, you can move on to making a quick roux. Melt your butter, a sprinkling of flour (about a 1 tbsp, or if you’re going gluten-free try arrowroot powder — but use half as much) and milk or soy milk, whisked to keep it from clumping or thickening too quickly.
Just as it’s beginning to thicken, add the crumbled Oregonzola cheese and continue to stir until smooth and creamy. Add a sprinkling of sea salt and/or garlic powder to round out the flavor. Taking care to not overheat the cheese or overcook the sauce. Serve the sauce immediately, either on the side for dipping your fries or drizzled on top, along with a sprinkle of chopped parsley, for a rich treat.
Steak a la' The GrooVy Hubby -- Yum!
Happy Eating and Happy Valentine’s Day!
Want more to choose from? Check out all three Four Course Valentine’s Menus put together by the Virtual Potluck crew:
Nobody wants to spend their whole night in the kitchen on Valentine’s Day. You want to cook, present, eat and get on with the canoodling– am I right? In this, our final V-Day menu we show that cooking at home on Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be super labor intensive — just scrumptious.
The four courses we’ve have paired here are easy for most anyone to make but still elegant and tasty. Sometimes simplicity is the key.
Each week, four of our 12 bloggers has put their best food forward as part of a 4 course “Lovers Feast” and what Valentine’s Day is complete without a TASTE-y libation? We teamed up with Otis over at Taste on The N8tion.com for custom cocktails to go with each course — they even whipped up some yummy non-alcoholic beverages for those of you who don’t imbibe (See week 1.)
Will Ferrell and Rachel Dratch enjoying a Lover's Feast on SNL
As I shared with you last week, Virtual Potluck is coming together to show you how to make more than just reservations for Valentine’s Day this year. Each week, four of our 12 bloggers will be putting their best food forward as part of a 4 course “Lovers Feast” and what Valentine’s Day is complete without a TASTE-y libation?
So we teamed up with Otis over at Taste on The N8tion.com to make us custom cocktails to go with each course — they even whipped up some yummy non-alcoholic beverages for those of you who don’t imbibe (see week 1.)
About Taste on The N8tion
Taste is a new mixology show that features cool cocktails from the common guy. From the creative minds at N8tion.com, our resident “booze head” Otis showcases classic and not-so-classic cocktail recipes. Who is Otis???? We found him under a bar in downtown Atlanta nursing a Corona while holding a box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts. No seriously, after tending bars for countless college parties, he honed his bartending skills in local taverns on the nights he wasn’t moonlighting as a bouncer. Taste is a product of N8tion.com, an independent television and radio network founded by brothers Myron and Otis McDaniel.
This week’s participating VP blogs:
Check them all out and keep an eye out for next week’s last 4 course Valentine’s Day Menu.
APPETIZER: Tara at Foodie brings us Herbed Smoked Salmon Mousse Croûte — smoked salmon mousse on a grilled toast drizzled with white truffle oil and sprinkled with fresh herbs.
Valentine’s Day — synonymous with hearts and the color red.
It has a long history, steeped in blood.
Blood that runs through your veins, pumps from your heart, through your body, quickening your pulse, as your heart flutters and your skin becomes heated, flushed pink– maybe red, in anticipation of the touch of your loved one.
My favorite love poem is by Pablo Neruda.
I share it with you today, not only because it is utterly beautiful but because it speaks to the heart of the dish I have created for you this Valentine’s Day.
Salt Rose (or rose salt, as you like it.)
Sonnet XVII by Pablo Neruda
I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz,
or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.
I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,
in secret, between the shadow and the soul.
I love you as the plant that never blooms
but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;
thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,
risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.
I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.
I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;
so I love you because I know no other way
than this: where I does not exist, nor you,
so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,
so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep.
This is the root of my dish. The deepest hues of red found in nature, imbue this dish with its ruddy stain and yet — I didn’t wish it to be sweet. Even with citrus and sugared beet and pomegranate, I wanted this dish to be like love — deep, sensual, sometimes dark, with a bit of a bite but paired always with the purity of something creamy, soft and pale in juxtaposition — like joy, like a new baby’s fragrant flesh, like the naiveté of a young lover’s first kiss.
As I thought about the flavor palette for this Intermezzo, I chose beet root for its earthy, dark taste, with just a hint of sweetness; blood orange for its fragrance and hue but also its citric zing; pomegranate for its sour as well as sweet qualities; and then I decided on thyme. Rosemary seemed too obvious and might just overpower, stealing the show but thyme — thyme is a gracious herb, yielding and harmonious, it nurtures and supports other flavors with its warm, aromatics. And thyme fittingly, originates from the Greek word thymon, meaning “courage.” The kind of courage one must muster to declare your love for the first time — thyme is also long considered an aphrodisiac.
But we were still in danger of being a little too sweet. It lacked ardor, it needed something stronger, like that bite on the neck at the height of passion, to take it over the edge — radish. Sharp, spicy, could turn bitter if used in the wrong proportions. It was risky, like love — radish was perfect.
Pairing it with a creamy, but tart and earthen scented goat cheese, sprinkled with thyme leaves and crushed almonds would ensure a rich, silken mouth-feel, with neither flavor (sorbet nor cheese) becoming overbearing. The almonds would lend the dish some much-needed texture and crunch to round out the experience.
The result was divine.
My husband raved and devoured it.
I ate each bite slowly, luxuriating in the flavor play and textural balance.
Digital camera on the fritz- this is what you get when you go old skool. New pic to come.
A small serving goes a long way.This dish is meant to whet the appetite for a richer meal and the promise of what comes after. . .
Pair it with the drink created especially for it by Otis’ from Taste on The N8tion, or with a slim glass of dry champagne to cleanse the palate.
But whatever you do — enjoy!
Savory Pomegranate, Beet Root and Blood Orange Sorbet
1 1/2 lbs red beets, trimmed, peeled and cut into four
3 large or 4 med radishes, cleaned, trimmed and cut in two (leave the peel in tact)
1/2 cup pomegranate juice
1/4 cup of fresh squeezed blood orange juice
2 Tbsp honey
3 sprigs of thyme leaves removed and crushed between your fingers
1/4 tsp salt
Preparation:
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, cover the beets with just enough water to completely submerge them and boil until they are fork-tender, about 15-20 minutes.
Halfway through cooking time, add the radishes and cook until fork tender as well.
Drain the water.
Process the hot beets and radishes in a food processor or blender with the remaining ingredients, until smooth puree is formed.
Chill the mixture for an hour, finish with an ice cream maker as directed by manufacturer or freeze in an airtight container for another 2 to 4 hours before removing to serve. Let thaw 10 minutes before serving.
Serve with creamy chèvre , topped with a sprinkle of fresh thyme and crushed almonds.
