Valentine’s Day Menu
Pickled Beets
These are great to have on hand to add to salads or use as a side topped with crumbled feta or a little goat cheese.
Prep Time: 1 ½ hours
Cook Time: 40 Minutes
Makes: about 4-5 pint jars and lids
Ingredients:
4-5 medium golden beets
1 ½ cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup water
2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp pickling spices
Instructions:
Remove any roots or tops of beets and wash thoroughly.
Place beets on a large sheet of aluminum foil topped with parchment paper. Sprinkle about 2T of water over the beets and seal foil on all sides tightly.
Roast in a 400 degree oven for about 40 minutes or until tender but not over cooked. Cooking time varies depending on size and freshness of the beets.
Remove from oven and when cooled enough to handle, peel and slice beets. Layer them in sterilized pint jars.
Combine vinegar, water, and seasonings in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour over vegetables using a table knife to press out air bubbles among the vegetables. Fill to about ½-inch from the top of the jar. Wipe rim clean, then cap and cool. Once cool, store in the refrigerator. Pickled vegetables are best after they have rested for a couple of days, but will keep for months.
Cucumber Avocado Salad
You can always serve this on a bed of arugula if you want to green it up even more, but we like the idea of a salad without lettuce!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
1 English cucumbers
1 large firm avocado
1 cup thinly sliced red onions
1 cup thinly sliced pickled golden beets
½ cup salted, roasted pistachios, large chop
Salt and pepper
White Balsamic vinegar
Olive oil
Instructions:
Ribbon peel and thinly slice cucumber. Peel and slice avocado. Arrange cucumber, beets, onions and avocado on a serving platter. Before serving, drizzle with balsamic and olive oil, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and pistachios. Make sure to use a good quality white balsamic and olive oil.
Halibut and Spring Vegetables in Parchment
This is a light, healthy and effortless dish. Clean up is a breeze too!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20+ minutes
Makes: 4 servings
Ingredients:
1-1/2 to 2 lb. Halibut
1 fennel bulb, peeled and thinly sliced
½ cup red onion, thinly sliced
1 large grapefruit, sectioned
2 small oranges, sectioned
1 Meyer lemon, sectioned
1-½ cup cherry tomatoes
Fresh herbs of choice (rosemary, basil, thyme, oregano, etc.)
Parchment baking paper
Salt and pepper
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400˚. For individual servings, have your fish monger provide four separate pieces of fish. Otherwise, use a large piece of fish and divide into individual servings after baking. Cut enough parchment to provide ample room to enclose each fish and vegetable dish with a tight seal. Start with the fish, generously salted and peppered. Layer vegetables on top, sprinkling with herbs, and a light dusting of salt, and pepper. Gather the parchment on top and fold down for a tight seal. Fold sides in and tuck under packet to seal. Bake until the fish is done, which will depend on the size and thickness of the fish. Single servings take about 20 – 25 minutes.
NOTE: when sectioning the citrus fruit use a technique that removes pith and membrane. You are wanting to be left with just sections of the flesh.
Vanilla Panna Cotta with Berries
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
1 packet unflavored gelatin powder
1-½ cups whole milk
1-½ cups whipping cream
1/3 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp pure vanilla
Fresh berries of choice
Instructions:
Transfer about ¼ cup of the milk into a bowl and sprinkle with gelatin which will allow to bloom. Split and scrape vanilla beans into a saucepan with sugar, milk, and cream. Heat over medium heat until tiny bubbles appear on the sides of the pan, being careful not to scorch. Gradually whisk small amounts of the hot milk into the gelatin bowl which will have turned into a thickened substance. Whisk contents of bowl into the heated milks and allow to cool slightly. If there are any lumps in the mixture, return to a low heat and stir until dissolved. Cool slightly and pour into 4 ramekins or desired container. Refrigerate at least four hours or overnight. Top with berries before serving.
