A ROMANTIC VALENTINE’S DAY DINNER FOR 2

Dining out on Valentine’s Day can fall short of the mark: the restaurants are crowded, their staff is harried, they rush you because they want to turn the table over to the next diners… not anybody’s idea of romance. 

I’m suggesting a different approach…. This menu is a little daring, has a bit of drama, but it will definitely set the mood.

MENU:

Potato gnocchi – sage, olive oil and garlic

Citrus stuffed rainbow trout

with mashed sweet potatoes

Arugula and roasted fennel salad

in citrus dressing with goat cheese

Boxed Chocolates with fresh berries

Making out on the couch

The prep on this meal should take 35 minutes.  You can do most of it in advance. 

The first thing I do is brine the fish.  I always do this unless it was caught the same day: ¼ cup table salt, large pan, 2 cups ice, cover the fish or fillets with water.  Set the fish in this brine (salted water) for 10 minutes.  It will turn murky because the salt is clearing the fish.  This brining will make it taste like it just came out of the lake (or the sea if it’s a snapper, etc.).



Lake trout in saltwater brine

Now we’re going to prep all the veggies.  Start with the fennel – cut off the bottom and most of the tough frond top. 


Whole Fennel Bulb



Slice it lengthwise

Save the tops and the fronds – all of this has a delicate anis aroma which we’ll use to perfume the delicate fish. 

BACK TO BASICS NOTE: Whenever we slice anything we always seek a flat surface.

Cut the bulb in half using your sharpest knife (dull knives cut fingers).  The fennel has a slightly tough central core.  I use it to keep my slices together.  Dress the sliced bulb and set it into the oven to roast @ 450F for about ten minutes until it looks translucent and the tips are browning.  Pull it out and let it cool on the counter.



While the fennel is roasting, peel and cube the sweet potatoes (1 med one per person is more than enough).  And we repeat the process: cut it in half lengthwise (flat surface) and then cube.  Just cover with water, pinch of salt, a clove or nutmeg + a bay leaf, and 2 sage leaves.  All this will add depth to this side dish.  Set it to boil and let it go.

NOTE:  This is a perfect opportunity to sweeten the garlic (check out my second blog entry for directions).  Add to cloves to this water and fish them out in 5 minutes.  Why?  Sharp garlic breath isn’t very kissable.



we cube them so they cook evenly

Now we’re going to prep the citrus.  Like when we decorate a home, in cooking you also create a theme.  This meal will have ruby grapefruit, sage, and fennel in every course.  It’s like using a color palette for your living room.

At this point turn the oven on to 350F.  You can put the fish in now or after you clear the pasta – it will be done in 7-10 minutes…. This is the perfect time to make the vinaigrette – use the grapefruit juice you set aside with just a splash of rice or white wine vinegar, light flavorless oil, salt and pepper, Dijon and a pinch of sugar.  Add some of the fennel fronds or some sage to complete the dressing.

Serve the Gnocchi – a small portion for each – if you have leftovers, you can heat those up for lunch tomorrow.

Cut the fruit in half (flat surface gives you control).  Peel the skin away.  Save a small portion of it.  If you feel daring, do some citrus imperial for the salad, if not, it’s okay.

Half of a Ruby grapefruit - peel it completely don't leave the white pith

Imperiale - it's easier than you think

Imperiale is a fancy name for slicing the flesh out of the citrus, leaving all the membranes behind.  It takes a steady hand and a very sharp knife.  Follow the membranes through the flesh till all the juicy fruit comes off the knife in whole sections – place into your salad bowl.  Remove any seeds and set the juice aside for the salad dressing.

I used half of a ruby grapefruit, the other half I sliced to stuff my trout.  Let’s finish prepping the fish: wash off the brine.  Then with my very sharp kitchen shears, cut off his tail and his fins (they burn and look unappetizing once baked).  Rub a bit of oil on the outside of the fish.  Salt and pepper the inside and outside of the trout.  Stuff with citrus slices and a couple of sage leaves.

NOTE:  Don’t want to see his eyes?  Cut off the head or have your fishmonger do this.  Don’t want to fillet him at the table?  That’s okay too – have the fishmonger at your market fillet the fish.  You’ll simplify the process.  Brine it, dress it (salt and pepper) and lay the citrus over it.  You can also do this with a whole snapper and any other delicate white fleshed fish.  You can also do this with salmon, but it’s a stronger flavor, use a small piece so it won’t be heavy and salmon goes better with lemons.  Remember: Too full a belly impairs romance!

Gorgeous!



Delicious!  Add a few hot chili flakes for extra zing!

I usually mash up the sweet potatoes with a bit of light sour cream.

Check the fish.  If it’s done, the outside is starting to look crispy, and when you touch it, it has bounce.  You don’t want to dry it out – no more than 10 minutes @350F.  Remove the baked citrus with tongs and plate it whole on a platter with the mashed sweet potatoes.



Very fancy!

If you’re brave, at the table, using a knife and a fork, or better still, a sharp edged pie spatula cut off the head.  Now, peel off the skin and then follow the natural curve of the fillet – get under it and separate it from the central bone ridge.  Serve the deboned fillet on the plate.



Use the fine china!

Notice that the fish is moist and delicately perfumed by the combination of citrus and fennel.  The next fillet is even easier to serve – lift the bony ridge right off the flesh – voila!  Fillet #2.

After you clear these plates, you serve the salad.  Be creative.  I added farm fresh vine tomatoes, a bit of goat cheese, the cooled roasted fennel and arugula.  Dress it and toss at the table.  If you dress it too early, it goes mushy.

Desert I leave completely up to you!  Break out the boxed chocolates, some berries, be creative.

PS – I welcome your questions and comments!  I hope this inspires you to bring your passions to the kitchen!

Happy Valentine’s Day.

 

I used the tough stalks and fronds of the fennel as a bed to lay the fish over. As these roast they’ll also perfume the fish.

Now I’m going to prep the gnocchi.  At this point, the sweet potatoes are soft so I fish them out of the water and into another sauce pan with a lid.  I want these to stay warm.  Add more water to the remaining brew, throw in a few slices of grapefruit peel and bring to a high boil.  This is where the gnocchi will land once it comes to a rolling boil.

NOTE: You can make your own gnocchi – I’ll give you a great recipe for it, but commercially vacuum packed potato gnocchi are superb.  Lets only put love into the pot, stress isn’t tasty.

The pasta doesn't need to swim in sauce - a little goes a long way.

Now we make the sauce: peel the garlic and throw it into your mortar and pestle.  A drizzle of olive oil with some kosher or sea salt and a sage leaf – mash it to make a paste.  Scrape into a bowl with four or five sliced up sage leaves (use a knife or your handy dandy kitchen shears – remember to wash them after cutting fish).  Take a small curl of grapefruit skin and cut it very fine.  This also goes into the bowl.  Add two turns of parmesan cheese and a small pat of butter for shine.  Throw the gnocchi into the boiling water and fish them out as soon as they float.