Cooking comes naturally to me and I enjoy it, but I love it when others cook too. These days, it floors me when I see people dropping major cash to circle around the city for a parking space, wait for a table for one hour, eat up-charged mediocre food, then head home. Maybe I'm a homebody for an intimate meal, but I like to hook it up at home. Even if you "can't cook", hopefully these suggestions will provide stratagems to convince you to "stage" a meal! Vegetarian or vegan? Many recipes have options containing no meat or dairy.
First, what to serve? Search online on the website of a place you frequent or a place your partner really likes. Enter keywords on epicurious.com and sort results by "highest rating". Search until you find a variation that fits your comfort level, budget and timeline. Also, read the reviews, which often include really handy tips from people who care enough to comment. If you are more "from can to plate" I recommend bettycrocker.com. These two sites have recipes that are tested, a key component for your own success.
Next, set the scene:
Head over to Pier 1 and buy a setting for two, including large (can double for dessert and appetizer) and small stemmed glasses, a shallow bowl for soups, salads and desserts as well as plates for the main course. Buy silverware if you can/they have it. Get durable interesting shapes that are dishwasher/microwave safe. One can find most of these things at Target, but their ceramic dishware can be of really poor quality. Red, orange, yellow, white, glass,cream and black work best for food; avoid blue and green plates. A couple candles won't hurt either, and Pier 1 has great scents and colors. I prefer candles in glass jars so I can set them anywhere and not worry about wax. Also, have some reusable containers on hand so your sweetie can take some goodies home or for lunch.
Salad/First Course:
Jerk Chicken/Tofu Salad:
Tasty salad that requires marinating and assembly, but very little work! Can be vegan if chicken is replaced with seasoned tofu from health food store. If you don't want any protein on top, just call it "sunshine salad" and sprinkle roasted cashews on top.
10 oz. (3 decks of cards worth) "grilled" ready-to-eat chicken from refrigerated section or rotisserie chicken
Or buy 2 packets teriyaki-seasoned tofu in refrigerated aisle--in most health food markets
1 glass jar jerk chicken paste. I usually buy Grace brand
Frozen fruits and veggies: (recommend Trader Joe's above all other brands) otherwise, store brand is fine
Mango (save the rest for coconut dessert soup)
Pineapple (save the rest for coconut dessert soup)
Petite peas
Haricot Verts (Whole French green beans)
(Save peas and green bean for side of your main dish)
Fresh veggies (many of these from salad bar except lettuce):
Matchstick carrots, or some other ready-to-eat shape
Red, yellow & green bell peppers
1 head Romaine lettuce or Romaine hearts
Optional: cherry or grape tomatoes
Dressing:
pineapple juice concentrate (save remainder for coconut dessert soup)
fresh lime (2 or 3--extra for other dishes/drinks)
soy sauce--stealing/saving a couple packets is enough
canola, soybean, peanut or vegetable oil
Marinate cooked chicken or tofu the night before (or as early as you can) in 2 tablespoons jerk paste and a squirt of lime juice. Save the lime for the dressing.
Arrange all fruits and veggies on plate, making a single "bed" layer of whole lettuce leaves on the bottom with romaine lettuce, rinsed well and patted dry with paper towels. Let the fruits and veggies thaw on plate. While salad thaws, make dressing.
Combine 1/3 container of pineapple juice concentrate, juice from lime, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon canola oil and beat with a whisk (or two forks held in one hand)for 1 minute.
For chicken/tofu, either warm over the stove or microwave or keep it cold. Tip: if salad isn't thawing fast enough, heat chicken. Arrange chicken/tofu on salad plate and drizzle dressing on top.
If your significant other doesn't like the world on his or her plate, keep the fresh veggies, buy the best Italian dressing (no high fructose corn syrup or artificial colors, containing olive oil as primary ingredient) and marinate chicken/Italian-flavored tofu with some of the dressing instead. For those who love Caesar salad, use Caesar dressing instead of Italian dressing, arrange romaine lettuce leaves, sprinkle shredded/grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (best option) or Parmesan from refrigerated cheese section (instead of the dry kind next to pasta)
Lettuce Wraps
The lettuce is a refreshing vehicle for lots of protein!
1/2 container white mushrooms, chopped into small pieces
Dry textured vegetable protein (about the size of bacon bits, sold at health food stores in bulk section), one handful OR 1 pound ground turkey, pork, chicken or veal
1 clove garlic, minced
1 inch fresh ginger root, peeled and pressed or finely minced
1 can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
4 teaspoons fish or soy sauce
dash hot sauce
1/2 cup water on hand
1 head Iceberg lettuce
For ground meat, use 1/4 cup water in skillet or saucepan. For vegetable protein, use 1/2 cup water. Simmer ingredients on MEDIUM to get started, mixing and mashing along the way. Once no longer pink or liquid is absorbed (5 minutes), turn down to low, cooking until ingredients are soft but 90% of liquid is gone. Turn off heat but cover to keep a little warm. Make lettuce cups: Stand lettuce head so circular part is on the bottom. Then cut around the firm "bone" of lettuce on either side. You should have a dozen or more large "cups." Rinse and pat dry with paper towels and put on a plate or in bowl to serve alongside meat/soy protein mixture.
Beverages for salads:
Iced tea with fruit juice
Sparkling Water with a wedge of lime
Dry Champagne
Dry Riesling
Main courses:
Vegan: Falafel with Vegan Tzaziki Sauce (but only if you have a blender), cucumber salad if you don't
Serve with Cous Cous and Vegetables (can be frozen or from salad bar)
Buy 1 box falafel mix (Middle Eastern ground chick peas or fava beans you make into patties and lightly fry) and one box cous cous (pasta that tastes like rice) from rice aisle or international aisle of grocery store
Or: some stores like Trader Joe's sell frozen plain or seasoned rice
Make cous cous according to package directions. If it calls for yogurt, just add water; it will turn out fine.
olive oil
veggies for cous cous: frozen peas and carrots (do not use canned)
salt and pepper
additional options to add in before cooking: golden raisins, slivered almonds, shelled pistachios, pine nuts
Cous cous does well in the microwave. Make sure you have a large (mixing bowl/popcorn bowl size) microwave-safe bowl-glass or ceramic are safest bets. Target, IKEA and Pier 1(+$$) sell these, along with most grocery stores. Cook cous cous according to microwave directions, adding 1/2 1-pound bag or 1 10-ounce box veggies and optional raisins/nuts (a small handful of each) BEFORE cooking.
Vegan tzaziki
Tzaziki is a creamy cucumber sauce. You've probably tasted it on a gyro or with other Greek/Mediterranean foods.
1 box soft silken tofu- This is in a small foil and paper box, the kind soy milk or some boxed juice drinks come in. Mori-nu is the most popular brand.
Juice of 1 lemon, freshly squeezed, seeds removed
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
dash black pepper
2 pinches salt, adding more to taste
1/4 cup minced scallions, also known as spring onions
1 cucumber, peeled and shredded (or chopped into really small pieces). Place grated cucumber into small bowl, then into your hands and squeeze as much water out as you can. Place back into bowl.
Directions: Combine tofu, lemon juice, parsley and oil in blender and blend until smooth. Blend cucumber for 10 seconds if not grated. Otherwise, stir in cucumbers and scallions. Serve in a small bowl as a dipping sauce.
Other main courses (all can have a side of cous cous or rice):
Steak! See previous blog entry, listed as 12/31/09, but just recently posted
Red Curry Shrimp
Wild Salmon with Cous Cous, Roasted Tomatoes and Lemon-Oregano Oil
Pork Chops with Apples (you can halve this recipe or make the full amount for leftovers)
Chicken Masala
Dessert:
These make-ahead treats with a final step before serving will provide a wonderful last course.
Toolbox:
High-quality quart of French Vanilla ice cream Recommend: Haagen-Dazs-thaw this in the fridge overnight. Make a chilled soup with fruit (fresh berries from salad bar)and a little liqueur or sauce for pound cake. Berries and sauce: this is a fancy-sounding version of what you re making: Sliced Strawberries with Grand Marnier and Zabaglione
Best quality pound cake--made with butter--you can find. Recommend: Whole Foods Runner-up: Costco. Heat slices in microwave or toaster (light toast). Layer melted ice cream (and maybe a dash of liqueur) on the bottom, pound cake, toasted sliced or slivered almonds, berries and whipped cream.
Coconut Dessert Soup
Vegan
1/2 can coconut milk
1/3 can pineapple concentrate
10 chunks frozen mango
20 or so piece frozen pineapple tidbits
1 kiwi, peeled and thinly sliced
1 small can orange segments, drained, either with juice or light syrup reserved
Arrange fruit in a shallow bowl. Meanwhile whisk (can mix with 2 forks held in one hand) coconut milk, and concentrate together (will be really thick), while slowly adding liquid from oranges.
Pour mixture slowly into bowl, stopping before fruit is completely submerged.
optional garnish: toasted sweetened coconut
For the chocolate lover: If your valentine loves dark chocolate, this molten chocolate cake recipe is guaranteed to bring oohs and aahs. Silicone cupcake molds are great and are a best nonstick bet. Even better, they take up little space, are reusable and you don't need muffin tins. Available at Target or cooking stores. I usually break Trader Joe's Belgian Dark chocolate (sold in huge slabs) into squares.
Beverages for dessert or afterward:
Coffee (probably decaf)
Liqueur
Sweet wine-porto (great for chocolate/coffee dessert), Moscato d'Asti (sparkling sweet Italian wine latest year available), Gewurtztraminer (both are great for fruity desserts)
Happy Valentine's Day!
Photo: Gentl & Hyers
