Romantic dishes for Valentine's Day

By Susan McClanahan

Valentine's Day is upon us again, and it is time to plan an evening with your very special someone. We know so many couples who are dining in for Valentine's Day and cooking a meal together. It is far less crowded, less expensive and can be so much fun cooking a meal with your favorite love.

To get you thinking about what your evening will include, I have found a few recipes that you might enjoy. A rich soup to get things started and a few entree selections that include chicken, beef, pasta and seafood.

Whatever you choose for the day or evening together, my hope is that you spend it with someone you dearly love, and you feel blessed to share the day with them.

Avocado and Strawberries with Honey Vinaigrette

Luscious strawberries and creamy avocado mingle in a honeyed lemon dressing to create this simple and elegant salad. Serve it as a light first course or alongside grilled chicken or fish. This recipe makes about 6 servings. Adjust accordingly.

• 2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 avocados, sliced
• 8 ounces strawberries or raspberries, or a combination of both

Whisk the lemon juice, honey, olive oil, salt and pepper together. Arrange the avocados slices and strawberries and/or raspberries on 6 salad plates. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the fruit salad. Serve immediately.

Cauliflower Bisque with Browned Butter Croutons

• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 small head cauliflower (about 1 pound total), separated into florets
• 3/4 pound Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 4 sprigs thyme
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 cups cubed ciabatta bread
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup pomegranate seeds
• Chopped chives, for serving

Combine milk, stock, cauliflower, potato, onion, garlic and thyme in a large saucepan. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until the vegetables are very tender, 18 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Add bread and cook, stirring often, until toasted, 10 to 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Discard thyme sprigs. Puree soup, in batches, in a blender until smooth. Add cream and pulse to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with croutons, pomegranate seeds and chives.

Special Occasion Chicken and Pasta

• 6 ounces dried spaghetti
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 10 sprigs fresh thyme
• 10 ounces sliced mushrooms
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Salt
• 2 small chicken breasts
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti noodles.

Meanwhile, in a large, not nonstick skillet, melt the butter and thyme over medium heat.

Add the sliced mushrooms to the skillet, and stir to coat in butter. Leave them to cook for a few minutes undisturbed so that a nice crust forms. Stir, and repeat until the mushrooms are golden brown. It will take about 15 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the mushrooms from the pan, leaving the butter and thyme in the pan. Add the oil to the pan. Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken breasts. Turn the heat up to medium-high, and sear the chicken breasts on both sides in the same pan that the mushrooms were in. Again, let cook undisturbed so that a nice crust forms. If the chicken is sticking to the pan, it's because the first side isn't done searing. It will release when it's golden brown. Remove the chicken from the pan, and cover to keep warm. Turn the heat down to low and add all of the wine. Allow the wine to cook down slightly while scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to get all of the brown bits into the wine. Dice the cream cheese and place in a large bowl. Discard the thyme sprigs from the pan, and then pour the hot wine over the cream cheese, and stir until it melts. There might be a few small pieces, but the hot pasta will dissolve them. When the pasta is done, drain it and immediately pour it over the wine-cream cheese mixture. Toss the noodles to melt and evenly distribute the cream cheese sauce. Stir the mushrooms into the pasta bowl. Slice the chicken, and serve on top.

Note: This pasta is best served immediately after making it. The cream cheese will set up if allowed to set. Not that you can't re-heat it, but it will be very thick. Plan accordingly.

Big Sexy Steaks with Tarragon Mushrooms

This filet mignon with vermouth reduction sauce and sauteed mushrooms with tarragon is perfect for Valentine's Day or a stay-at-home date night. Serves 2.

For the Big Sexy Steaks:

• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 2 filet mignon steaks (1 1/2 inches thick), 12 to 14 ounces total
• 1/2 teaspoon each kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1/4 cup sweet vermouth
• 3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken or beef broth
• 1/2 teaspoon corn starch

For the Tarragon Mushrooms:

• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 sliced scallions, white and green parts separated
• 4 cups sliced mixed mushrooms, wild, shiitake and/or white
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat canola oil in a medium heavy oven-proof skillet. Meanwhile, sprinkle steaks with kosher salt and pepper. When oil shimmers, add steaks and cook until the bottom is deeply browned, about 5 minutes. Turn steaks over, insert remote oven-proof insta-read thermometer (if using) into the center of one steak and transfer the skillet to the oven. Roast until the steaks are 130 degrees for medium-rare, about 8 to 11 minutes. Transfer steaks to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

Place skillet over medium-high heat. Use caution, the handle will be hot! Add shallot and thyme to the skillet and cook, stirring until the shallot is browned, about 30 seconds. Add vermouth and let simmer until almost reduced by one half. Stir the cornstarch into the broth and add to the skillet. Bring to a simmer, stirring. Cook until slightly thickened and reduced to about 1/2 cup. Remove from the heat.

Prepare tarragon mushrooms:

While steaks roast, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add scallion whites, mushrooms and salt, and cook, stirring occasionally until the mushrooms are browning and the juices evaporate, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in scallion greens and tarragon and remove from the heat. Serve steaks with the vermouth sauce and mushrooms.

Creamy Garlic Scallop Spaghetti with Bacon

This recipe can be ready in well under 30 minutes, this is a quick and easy meal that's sure to impress. It easily adapts to serve just two as well, making it an ideal choice for a romantic dinner for Valentine's Day or at any time of the year you want to pamper your sweetheart.

• 3/4 pound dry spaghetti
• 4 slices crisp cooked bacon, chopped
• 1 pound medium sized scallops
• Salt and pepper to season
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 cup low-sodium seafood stock (or chicken stock)
• 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
• 2 large tomatoes, center pulp removed and diced small
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the dry spaghetti to al dente in salted water and drain. Crisp cook the bacon in a large saute pan and roughly chop it. Set aside. Season the scallops with salt and pepper and pan sear them in the bacon fat for only about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side and set aside with the bacon. Drain the bacon fat from the pan and add the olive oil and garlic; cook for only a minute to slightly soften the garlic. Add the white wine and seafood stock and simmer quickly for a few minutes until the liquid has reduced by about half. Add the cream and simmer for an additional 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper if needed, then add the bacon, tomatoes and the scallops to the sauce. Simmer for only a minute or two to warm the scallops through before adding the cooked pasta and Parmesan cheese. Toss together the pasta and sauce very well before serving.

Browned Butter Scallops with Parmesan Risotto

Parmesan Risotto:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 minced clove garlic or 1 minced shallot (or both)
• 1 cup Arborio rice
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 3-ish cups of chicken broth
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Seared Scallops:

• 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
• 1 pound jumbo scallops

Sauteed Spinach or Kale:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 4 cups spinach or kale

Browned butter:

• 3 tablespoons butter

For the Risotto: In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic or shallots and saute for a minute or two, until soft and fragrant. Add the Arborio rice, stir to coat with butter. Add the white wine and enjoy the sizzles. Add the broth, 1/2 cup at a time, and simmer/stir after each addition until the rice is soft and creamy. It is good to err on the side of more liquid to get a creamier texture. Add the Parmesan and stir until incorporated. Salt and pepper to taste.

For the Seared Scallops: Heat oil in nonstick skillet. Pat scallops very dry, (as dry as possible), sprinkle with salt, and add to pan. They should sizzle (if not, you need a hotter pan). Shake gently to prevent sticking. After 2 to 3 minutes, flip each scallop over. They should have a pretty golden brown exterior and an opaque inside. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil. Serve immediately atop the risotto.

For the Sauteed Spinach or Kale: Heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, stir for a minute to get the flavor going. Add the spinach or kale and stir until wilted.

For the Brown Butter: Put a few tablespoons of butter in a clean skillet over medium heat and stir it while watching it closely; when it starts to look golden and foamy, remove from heat, transfer to a heat-proof bowl to cool slightly, then drizzle over the risotto, scallops and greens.

Have a great week and, until next time, happy Valentine's Day and happy cooking.