5 Valentine's Day Food Recipes

Here are 5 Valentine's Day food recipes for the chef eager to present a holiday appropriate menu this February 14^th.  Valentine's Day has long been about romance, and food is a vital part of the rituals of courtship. Just as romantic love is sensual, so are the delicacies which inspire the mood. There are a great many food aphrodisiacs--from sweet pastries to luscious strawberries to melt-in-your-mouth chocolate. Oysters, truffles, caviar and even asparagus are known as aphrodisiacs which bestow vigor and virility upon men.

1. Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon shortening
• 2 pints fresh strawberries

1. Wash strawberries but do not remove the stems.
2. In a small saucepan, melt chocolate and shortening over low heat, stirring until smooth.  Hold strawberry by the stem and dip it into the chocolate. Place on waxed paper to dry.
3. Warning: chocolate hardens quickly when allowed to cool.  

2. Oysters Rockefeller

Ingredients:

• 2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 24 medium oysters, fresh and alive
• 1 -1/2 cups cooked spinach
• 1/3 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup green onions, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon and 4 cups Kosher salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Herbsaint liquor

1. Preheat oven to 450ºF. Pour salt into an ungreased broiler pan.
2. Clean oysters and transfer to a large pot. Add enough water to just cover oysters completely. Bring to a boil and then remove pot immediately, drain oysters, and cool completely. Remove top shell of each oyster, leaving oyster on a half-shell.
3. Combine bacon, spinach, bread crumbs, green onions and parsley. Run mixture through a food processor, and then add ½ teaspoon salt, pepper sauce, olive oil, and Herbsaint. Pulse food processor again for approximately ten seconds. Mixture should be finely chopped but not a puree.
4. Arrange oysters on top of salted pan. Spoon spinach mixture into each half shell and bake for 10 minutes. Change oven temperature to Broil setting and broil for two minutes. Serve hot.

3. Grilled Prawns with Truffle Oil Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

• 20 large uncooked prawns, peeled and deveined
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2/3 cup white truffle oil
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons sweet onion, chopped
• 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1. Preheat grill pan or gas barbecue grill. Oil hot grill to prevent sticking.
2. Butterfly prawns with a sharp knife, slicing almost in half--tail firmly attached. Brush both sides with olive oil.
3. Combine truffle oil, lemon juice, onion, parsley, salt and pepper. Stir well and set aside.
4. Transfer prawns to hot grill and cook for two minutes. Then turn over and cook for one minute. Remove from grill. Prawn will be opaque when done.
5. Drizzle prawns with truffle sauce. Provide a dipping side of truffle sauce.

4. Strawberry Roses

Ingredients:

• 15 large strawberries, washed and dried
• 2 cups mascarpone cheese
• 1- 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest

1. This is a No Bake recipe.
2. Combine mascarpone cheese, confectioners' sugar and vanilla, beating until smooth. Gently fold in whipped cream. Transfer to a pastry bag with a star tip.
3. Slice off the tip of each strawberry and remove the core. The stem should remain intact. Place strawberry upright with the stem down and cut four 1/4 -inch slices through the tip. Cuts should create a star- or flower-pattern. Roll the strawberry in white sugar.
4. Open each strawberry and fill with cheese mixture. Arrange on a serving tray and sprinkle with lemon zest.

5. Caviar Stuffed Eggs

Ingredients:

• 8 large eggs (hard-boiled, peeled and cut in half lengthwise)
• 1/8 cup fresh caviar
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill, minced
• 1 tablespoon capers, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese

1. This is a No Bake recipe.
2. Arrange hard-boiled egg white halves on a serving plate.
3. Beat hard-boiled eggs yolks until very smooth. Add caviar, dill and capers, stirring gently. Fold in mustard, mayo and pepper. Spoon yolk mixture into egg haves. Sprinkle with crumbled blue cheese. Serve cold.