Love is in the Air... Oh No, That's Just More Snow!

Okay... can somebody PLEASE tell me where is all this snow coming from?! It seems like we are getting hit by at least one snowstorm per week! So much so that I think they are starting to run out of storm names. Pax?! Isn't that the name of one of Brangelina's sons?! I am sure that's copyright infringement of some kind.

Well don't let Pax ruin your Valentine's Day. Getting snowed in with your partner can be very romantic and not to mention inexpensive. Spending all that time and energy sloshing through the snow to make your dinner reservations at an overbooked and possibly overrated restaurant? Nothing about that sounds romantic. However, a quiet evening at home preparing dinner together is not only romantic, it's also very intimate. Nothing too complicated, of course. I was thinking of something light like Baked Crispy Cod and Asparagus with Bacon & Mushrooms because nothing says "I love you" quite like bacon... well at least in my book. And no Valentine's Day would be complete without Chocolate Dipped Strawberries infused with Hazelnut Liqueur (or any flavored alcohol of your choice) and a little bubbly for dessert. Please feel free to enjoy this course away from the table... but bring a towel just in case you make a mess...

Baked Crispy Cod

Serves 2 to 4

 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley 
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 4 (6-oz.) cod fillets
• Kosher salt to taste
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Instructions:

1. Combine first 7 ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Place fillets on a lightly greased wire rack in a baking pan; sprinkle each side evenly with salt and pepper. Spoon breadcrumb mixture evenly onto one side of each fillet, pressing down gently. Drizzle evenly with melted butter.
3. Bake at 400° for 17 minutes or until breadcrumbs are golden and fish flakes with a fork.


Asparagus with Bacon & Mushrooms
Serves 2 to 4

Ingredients:

• 1 pounds fresh asparagus
• 4 bacon slices
• 1 cups sliced mushrooms
• 1/4 cup chopped shallots
• 1/8 to 1/4 tsp. dried crushed red pepper
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Kosher salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Snap off and discard tough ends of asparagus. Cut asparagus into 1 1/2- inch pieces. Cook asparagus in a covered pot of boiling salted water over medium-high heat 4 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process; drain and set aside.
2. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-low heat until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings in skillet. Discard remaining drippings. Crumble bacon.
3. Sauté mushrooms and shallots in hot drippings over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until shallots are tender. Add asparagus and crushed red pepper; sauté 1 to 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in crumbled bacon, salt and pepper.

Hazelnut Liqueur Infused Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Serves 2 to 4

Ingredients:

• 16 large fresh strawberries with leaves
• 1/2 cup hazelnut liqueur (such as Frangelico)
• 1 pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 tablespoons shortening 
• 1/4 cup hazelnut liqueur 
• 1 ounce white chocolate, chopped

Instructions: 

1. Rinse strawberries and dry thoroughly with a napkin. If the exterior of the strawberries is too wet, this will make the chocolate less likely to stick and make the melted chocolate separate. 
2. Take the injector and fill it with the liqueur. Take a strawberry and stick it with the injector at the bottom of the strawberry (at the peak). Slowly fill the strawberry with liqueur. The strawberry may begin to overflow and that is when you need to stop. 
3. Once all of your strawberries are injected, dab the strawberries again to remove any excess moisture. Place them on a baking sheet, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes or in the freezer for about 15 minutes.
4. In a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, combine bittersweet chocolate and shortening. Stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Stir in heavy cream and 1/4 cup of liqueur. Place white chocolate in a separate bowl, and when the chocolate has melted, place the bowl of white chocolate over the pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Be sure to remove from heat as soon as it is mostly melted, white chocolate can be sensitive.
5. Dip strawberries into chocolate, and let the excess drip off into the bowl before placing on waxed paper to set. When the strawberries have all been dipped in chocolate, dip a fork into the white chocolate, and drizzle back and forth over berries to stripe.
6. I recommend making them the night before or 3-5 hours before serving. This will allow the liqueur and the flavor of the strawberries to marry into sweet, decadent matrimony.

 

 Wine Pairing: Passion d'Etoiles Pouilly-Fuisse 2009

When it comes to fish dishes, a White Burgundy (aka French Chardonnay) makes the perfect pairing. They are crisp, fruity, herbal and complex. When paired with the right dish like this cod, amazing things can happen. For this pairing, I chose the Passion d'Etoiles Pouilly-Fuisse 2009 from the Maconnais region of Burgundy. Pouilly-Fuisse is the name of the village in the Maconnais that produces remarkably unique Chardonnays.

This was the perfect wine for this dish. The flavors just simply exploded on the palate, as each sip followed every bite of the cod. The citrus and herbal flavor of this cod dish, were enhanced by the citrus, herbal and mineral flavors of the Pouilly-Fuisse.The wine greatly compliments the food and vice versa, which should happen with all good pairings.

So grab your Valentine and let's Eat Up & Wine Down... and don't forget to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and now on Instagram!