Valentine's Dinner
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Cooking time: 45 minutes for menu Cooking schedule: see below for "menu" instructions |
Happy Valentine's Day! As it is the end of the week - and still mid-week, we want to do a nice dinner but an easy one. Also, because it's mid-week, I'm not doing dessert... Pick one up from your local bakery, if you want; pour some Kahlúa over coffee flavored ice cream... Or just finish the champagne! (You DO have champagne???)
Tomato & White Bean Soup Time: 30 minutes
A quick and easy soup for a first course, with lots of summer flavor for a winter soup.
1 can whole tomatoes, 15 oz (450gr)
1 small or 1/2 large onion
1 clove garlic
1 stalk (rib) celery
1 tbs olive oil
2 cups chicken stock
8oz (250gr) white beans (cannellini) (should be left from Friday)
1/3 cup small pasta - elbow, shells, etc
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried rosemary
Finely chop onion, garlic and celery. Sauté in medium saucepan in olive oil over medium heat until soft and transparent, 7 - 10 minutes. Roughly chop tomatoes and add tomatoes and all of their juices to onion and garlic. Drain and rinse beans. Add chicken stock, beans, herbs and pasta, cover and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes so pasta doesn't stick. Remove from heat and serve.
Chicken Breasts Savoyard Time: 45 minutes
An elegant party dish - for two, with boneless chicken and artichoke bottoms, baked in a white wine sauce. Very little work for gourmet main course. Serve with some fluffy Basmati.
2 chicken breasts - boneless, skinless
1 medium onion
1 tsp dried tarragon
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tbs olive oil
3/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup (4oz, 125ml) Greek or plain yogurt, or sour cream
1 tbs Dijon-style mustard
1/2 cup (2oz, 60gr) Parmesan cheese
2 tbs cornstarch dissolved in 3 tbs chicken broth
15 oz (450gr) artichoke bottoms
Cut onion in half and slice thinly. In non-stick skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until tender. Add tarragon, thyme and chicken breasts and sauté until chicken starts to brown. Add the white wine, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes. Open and drain artichoke bottoms. In a small baking dish (just large enough to hold everything and, if possible, nice enough to go directly to the table) arrange artichoke bottoms in a single layer. Remove chicken breasts and lay in the center of the artichokes. Increase heat under skillet to medium-high and add the chicken broth and mustard to the wine. When simmering hard stir in cornstarch mixture and cook until thickened. Remove from heat; add yogurt and Parmesan. Pour sauce over chicken and artichokes and bake in 400F (200C) for 15 minutes. Remove and serve.
Basmati Rice Time: 20 minutes or whatever your package says
Simple, fragrant, fluffy, quick-cooking ....for me, the perfect white rice for a side dish.
1/2 cup Basmati rice
1 tsp butter
1 cups chicken stock
1 tsp dried tarragon
Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Add rice and sauté, stirring for 2 - 3 minutes. Add stock or water and thyme. Cook rice for length of time on package. When done fluff with fork and serve.
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Cooking Schedule: 45 minutes |
Start rice |
Cooking for Two? Or more?
Our Weekly Menu Planner Service gives you healthy, gourmet dinners, carefully planned to eliminate waste and insure a wide variety of seasonal, wholesome foods each week.
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