Impress your valentine with an elegant heart-made dinner
Baked Brie with Pecans and Cranberry Orange Chutney
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup maple syrup, plus 1 teaspoon for garnish, divided
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 orange, zest and juice only
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped, plus additional for garnish, divided
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 tablespoon bourbon, optional
- 13.4-ounce round brie
- 1/2 cup pecan pieces, roasted
- Crackers
- Toasted bread
- Apple slices
Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
In medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring cranberries (reserving some for garnish), 1/2 cup maple syrup and water to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until cranberries pop and mixture thickens, 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove cranberry mixture from heat and stir in orange zest, orange juice, 1 teaspoon thyme, rosemary and bourbon, if desired.
Place brie on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake 5 to 7 minutes, or until inside of cheese softens while outside remains intact.
Transfer brie to serving platter and top with chutney and roasted pecans. Drizzle remaining maple syrup over brie and garnish with remaining fresh thyme and reserved cranberries. Serve with crackers, toasted bread and apple slices.
Lemony Grapes and Greens Salad
Ingredients
Lemon Vinaigrette:
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 teaspoons spicy brown or stone-ground mustard
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
Salad:
- 10 cups mixed torn greens
- 1 1/2 cups grapes, halved
- 1/2 cup red onion, slivered
- 1 large firm but ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
- 1/3 cup salted pistachio kernels, roasted
Directions
To make lemon vinaigrette: In small bowl, whisk olive oil, lemon juice, honey, garlic, mustard, salt and pepper.
To make salad: In large bowl, mix greens, grapes and onion. Drizzle with dressing and toss well to coat. Add avocado. Sprinkle with pistachios. Toss lightly.
Filet Mignon with Glazed Carrots and Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
Garlic Mashed Potatoes:
- 2 pounds russet potatoes, medium diced, skin on
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus 1 pinch, plus additional, to taste, divided
- 1/2 pound unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper plus additional, to taste, divided
Honey-Lemon Glazed Carrots:
- 2/3 cup honey
- 1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 pinches salt plus additional, to taste, divided
- 1 pinch black pepper plus additional, to taste, divided
- 1 pound baby rainbow carrots
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Filet Mignon:
- Four 7-ounce filet mignons
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/3 cup canola or grapeseed oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
Directions
To make garlic mashed potatoes: Add potatoes to stockpot. Cover with cold water by about 1 inch and add 1 pinch salt. Turn on high heat and bring to boil, 12 to 15 minutes, or until fork-tender. Drain and place potatoes in large mixing bowl.
In saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add garlic and simmer 5 minutes. Add heavy cream, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon white pepper; bring to boil. When mixture boils, reduce to simmer 3 minutes then remove from heat.
Mash hot potatoes until most lumps are gone. Using hand mixer on low speed, slowly add butter and cream mixture until desired smoothness and taste.
Season with salt and white pepper, to taste.
To make honey-lemon glazed carrots: In small bowl, whisk honey, lemon juice, lemon zest, 1 pinch salt and 1 pinch pepper.
Heat oven to 425 degrees.
Fill stockpot 2/3 full with water. Bring to boil and add 1 pinch salt. Blanch carrots in boiling water 5 minutes. Drain and shock with cold water. When cool enough to handle, halve carrots lengthwise.
In large saute pan over medium-high heat, add oil and butter.
Add carrots to pan, flat sides down, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sear until browned, about 2 minutes.
Flip carrots and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add half of glaze to pan and glaze generously. Bake 3 minutes. Add remaining glaze to carrots and bake 2 minutes. Remove glazed carrots from oven.
To make filet mignon: Thaw filet mignons in refrigerator overnight, pat dry with paper towels then bring to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
In small bowl, whisk kosher salt, black pepper and dried thyme. Season steaks on all sides.
In cast-iron pan over high heat, add oil.
Place filets in pan and cook 4 minutes until browned and seared. Add 1 tablespoon butter to pan.
Flip filets and butter baste about 20 seconds. Cook filets 3 minutes for medium-rare, or longer if desired.
Remove filets from pan and top each with 1/2 tablespoon butter. Rest steaks 7 to 8 minutes.
Place garlic mashed potatoes on plate and top with filet mignon. Place honey-lemon glazed carrots next to filet mignon and mashed potatoes.