By: Amy Tobin
Web produced by: Jessica Noll
I absolutely love Valentine’s Day. I always have. From exchanging valentine cards as a kid, to romantic gifts from boyfriends, to family celebrations with my husband and kids, I love love- and celebrating it! Of course, it doesn’t’ hurt that I’m a big fan of chocolate, wine and flowers. So here’s a Valentine from me to you- some of my favorite things for Cupid’s big day.
Get cozy with romantic music (Try the selection pulled together by Amy’s Table radio producer, Chris Comer) It doesn’t take much to burn a CD for your sweetie and the right background music goes a long way toward a passionate night of making… .great memories. Of course a cocktail helps, too. Shake up one of these Valentine-inspired cocktails and serve it with Peppadews stuffed with Boursin. These little heart shaped gems are a snap to make and promise to thrill your palate.
Make sure to set a sweet scene for dinner. Scatter rose petals down the center of the table. Add candles and flowers. A quick and easy centerpiece starts with one smaller vase set inside another. Fill the channel that’s created with jellybeans or chocolates. Add a bunch of roses or tulips to the smaller vase and you’re done.
How about a little cherries and red wine with dinner? Mustard Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Cabernet Sauce is “special occasion” without being hard to prepare. Open a bottle of Cotes du Rhone Rouge, light the candles - and prepare to be adored.
Valentine’s Day calls for a truly decadent chocolate dessert. Try my Double Chocolate Mousse Tart with Cookie Crust. If you’re looking for a simpler dessert, just make the luscious chocolate mousse filling and serve it in a wine glass with fresh berries and whipped cream.
Peppadews stuffed with Boursin
Serves 6
Prep time: 15 minutes
Make ahead: Peppadews can be filled several hours ahead; refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish just before serving.
1 14-ounce jar Peppadews (whole sweet piquant peppers, use mild or hot)
1 5.2-ounce box Boursin garlic and herb cheese, at room temperature
Garnish: finely chopped parsley
- Drain the peppadews completely.
- Cut a small slice off the bottom of each to help it stand upright.
- Place the room temperature Boursin in a small bowl; whisk until smooth.
- Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a star tip.
- Pipe (or spoon) some cheese into each peppadew.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
To Serve: Garnish with finely chopped parsley.
Mustard Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Cabernet Sauce
Serves 4
Wine Suggestion: Cotes du Rhone Rouge
Prep time: 10 minutes
Marinate time: at least 4 hours and up to overnight
Cook time: 8-10 minutes
Make ahead: Tenderloin can be marinated the day before. Cherry Cabernet Sauce can be made a day ahead; re-heat gently and whisk in the butter just before serving.
Tip: If you have any leftovers, it makes a great sandwich.
Marinade
¼ cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely minced
¼ cup Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 pork tenderloin (about 1 ¼ pounds) trimmed
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the marinade ingredients.
- Place tenderloin in a shallow dish; rub marinade over pork.
- Refrigerate 4 hours and up to overnight.
- Grill or broil tenderloin until medium, about 8-10 minutes.
- Let rest 10 minutes; slice on bias into ¼ inch slices.
Cherry Cabernet SaucePrep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20-25 minutes
Make ahead: Reduce sauce to syrupy stage; cool and refrigerate until needed. Bring to a boil; remove from heat and whisk in chilled butter. Serve.
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ small red onion, diced
¼ cup chopped mushrooms
3 cups beef broth
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 cups Cabernet Sauvignon
1 cup dried cherries
¼ cup orange juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
½ cup Port
3 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into pieces
- Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan; add onions and mushrooms.
- Sauté 5 minutes.
- Add beef broth, orange zest and wine.
- Bring to a boil; continue cooking until liquid is reduced by half.
- Add dried cherries, orange juice, thyme and port; return to a boil and cook until liquid is syrupy.
- Remove from heat and whisk in chilled butter, one piece at a time.
To Serve: Top sliced pork with Cherry Cabernet Sauce; serve
Double Chocolate Mousse Tart with Cookie Crust
Makes one 9-inch tart
Prep time: 45 minutes
Bake time: 5 minutes
Chill time: 6 hours to overnight
Make ahead: Can be made one day in advance; chill until ready to garnish with whipped cream.
Tip: The Chocolate Mousse makes a great dessert on its own, served in wine glasses or the Chocolate Bowls. Try it as a cake filling, too.
Crust:
21 chocolate sandwich cookies
¼ cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
Mousse:
12 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1cup heavy cream
2 cups heavy cream
¼ cup sugar
Garnish:
Sweetened whipped cream
Chocolate Shavings
- Crust: Preheat oven to 350 °F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan
- In a food processor, pulse the cookies until finely ground. Add the softened butter; pulse until evenly moistened Press crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan to form a thin crust
- Bake 5 minutes; transfer to a rack to cool completely
- Mousse: In a food processor, combine the chocolate, vanilla and salt
- In a microwave-safe glass measure, heat 1 cup cream to just boiling With the motor running, pour hot cream through the feed tube; process until chocolate is melted and smooth Transfer mixture to a large bowl; cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. In the bowl of an electric mixer beat 2 cups heavy cream with the sugar to form stiff peaks. Fold whipped cream into chocolate mixture; transfer mousse to prepared crust Chill until set, at least 6 hours and up to overnight
- To Serve: Place sweetened whipped cream in a pastry bag fitted with a medium star tip Pipe rosettes around edge of tart Garnish with chocolate shavings.
"Reprinted with Permission from Amy's Table: Food for Family and Friends (Orange Frazer Press, Willimington, OH $22.95)"
Amy Tobin is the Culinary Director at the Northern Kentucky cooking school EQ @ The Party Source and author of Amy's Table: Food for Family and Friends, benefiting Susan G. Komen for the Cure. A contributor to Cincinnati Magazine and the former host of Cooking with Sol featuring Amy Tobin on WLWT and Amy’s Table on CET, she hosts a weekly lifestyle radio program Sunday morning's at 9 on Q102 . A recipe developer and consultant to several national food brands, Amy leads culinary adventures through Europe and lives in Ohio with her husband, son and daughter.
For more information visit
AmysTable.com.
