Image via WikipediaIf you are an experienced cook, this advice from Ina might jog your mind to remember some dishes you haven't done in a while. I always retread videos like this to jog my brain because it's so easy to get into a cooking rut. Especially if you have a husband or children who keep wanting the same dishes week after week. It's always good to break out and try a new twist on a family favorite or something entirely different.
In the end, you are the best judge of what your family will eat. Sometimes, it's the smallest changes that are best enjoyed by all! Take a look at what Chef Garten offers and see what you think! Who said romantic had to only be for a couple, sometimes we can extend it to include the whole family. :)
Chef Ina Garten is Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics
Ina's Valentine's Day menu:
Roasted Red Snapper
Oven Roasted Vegetables
Coeur à la Crème with Raspberries
Red snapper or other substantial fish: A simple sauce is made from creme fraiche (think of it like using mayonnaise as a base), Dijon mustard for some spicy heat, whole grain coarse ground mustard for some texture, salt and pepper, shallots finely diced, some vinegary capers. Combine all together and pour over the fish in the roasting pan. Place in the oven at 425-degrees F. for about 10 to 15 minutes, maybe more, until fish flakes with a test fork to see if it is done.
Roasted Red Snapper
Ingredients:
4 (8-ounce) fish fillets such as red snapper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces creme fraiche
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 teaspoons drained capers
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. (You can also use an ovenproof baking dish.) Place the fish fillets skin side down on the sheet pan. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
Combine the creme fraiche, 2 mustards, shallots, capers, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Spoon the sauce evenly over the fish fillets, making sure the fish is completely covered. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish, until it's barely done. (The fish will flake easily at the thickest part when it's done.) Be sure not to overcook it! Serve hot or at room temperature with the sauce from the pan spooned over the top.
Roasted Vegetables: Ina uses potatoes and fennel which she starts off first in the roasting process at about 425-degrees F., combined with olive oil, salt and pepper - until they begin to soften, about 25 minutes. Then she adds the more delicate vegetables like asparagus and green string beans to roast some more. When they look like they are about done, sprinkle all with liberal amount of grated Paremsan cheese and roast again just until the cheese is melted.
Coeur à la Crème with Raspberries
Ingredients:
12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature (I used Trader Joe’s, do not use low or non fat cream cheese)
1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp grated lemon zest
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
Raspberry sauce
1 pint fresh raspberries, washed and dried
Directions:
Place the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on high for 2 minutes. Scrape down the beater and bowl with a rubber spatula and change the beater for the whisk attachment. With the mixer on low speed, add the heavy cream, vanilla, lemon zest and vanilla seeds and beat on high until the mixture is very thick, like whipped cream.
Line a 7″ sieve with cheesecloth (I used unbleached) so the ends drape over the sides and place it in a bowl so there is space between the bottom of the sieve and the bowl for the liquid to drain (about 1″). Pour the cream mixture into the cheesecloth, fold the ends over the top, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
To serve, discard the liquid, unmold the cream onto a plate and drizzle raspberry sauce around the base. Serve with raspberries and extra sauce. Alternatively, slice pieces, drizzle with sauce and scatter with raspberries.
Raspberry Sauce:
1 half-pint fresh raspberries, washed and dried
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup (12 ounces) seedless raspberry jam
1 Tbsp. framboise liqueur
Directions:
Place the raspberries, sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 4 minutes. Pour the cooked raspberries, the jam and the liqueur into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until smooth. Chill.
*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!
*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:
*** Check out Holiday Recipes From Dennys Food and Recipes
Romancing The Chocolate - chocolate recipes and more food
Comfort Food From Louisiana - Cajun, Creole, New Orleans and more comfort food
Unusual 2 Tasty - different twists on favorite foods, international food too
The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Best Spiritual Posts
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor
Ouch Outrageous Obnoxious And Odd - more crazy humor
Dennys Blog Feeds - what is posting on all the blogs at a glance
Dennys: News Politics Comedy Science Arts Food - an online newspaper
