Happy Valentines’ Day from Kathey Raskin of Las Vegas! Valentine’s Day is around the corner, and I’ve got ideas, my friends. In Kathey Jo’s Kitchen, I love a good, home-cooked meal on Valentine’s Day. Did you know that the roots of Valentine’s Day go back to ancient times? The feast of Lupercalia paid honor to the Roman god of fertility. Today, the traditions of Valentine’s Day are broad, including exchanging cards, purchasing or making chocolates, sending flowers, buying jewelry, and enjoying romantic dinners. What are your favorite Valentine’s Day traditions? Is there anything new you want to try this year? Let your friends at Kathey Jo’s Kitchen know in the comments.
Lobster Capellini with Leek-Tarragon Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter
- 4 large leeks, white and tender green parts, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped tarragon, plus 1/4 cup leaves
- 1 cup heavy cream salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 medium beet, peeled and coarsely shredded
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1-pound cooked lobster meat (from three 1 1/2-pound lobsters)
- 1-pound capellini
Directions
- In a large saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter. Add the leeks and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and chopped tarragon and cook until the wine evaporates, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cream and season with salt and pepper. Cover partially and cook over low heat until the cream is slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Scrape the mixture into a blender and puree until smooth. Return the creamy leek sauce to the saucepan and season with salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm.
- Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a small skillet. Add the shredded beet, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat, stirring constantly, until tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter in the water over moderately low heat, whisking constantly. Add the lobster meat and cook just until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Keep warm.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until barely al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot and add the leek sauce, reserved pasta water and the butter from the lobster; season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Transfer the pasta to plates or shallow bowls and top with the lobster meat. Garnish with the beets and tarragon leaves and serve at once.
Puff Au Chocolat
Ingredients
- One 14-ounce package thawed and chilled all-butter puff pastry
- 1 large egg, beaten
- Fleur de sel
- 1/3 cup hazelnuts (about 2 ounces)
- 5 ounces finely chopped milk chocolate
- 5 ounces finely chopped semisweet chocolate
- 3/4 cup crème fraiche or heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon rum
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- Fresh raspberries or sliced strawberries, for garnish
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375°. Unfold the puff pastry onto a parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Pierce the pastry all over with a fork, brush with the egg and sprinkle with fleur de sel. Top with another sheet of parchment paper and a second baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and set a heavy ovenproof skillet on the top baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, until the pastry is lightly golden and almost cooked through. Remove the skillet, the top baking sheet and the parchment paper and bake for another 20 minutes, until the pastry is cooked through, golden and crisp. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, spread the hazelnuts in a pie plate and toast in the oven for 6 to 7 minutes, until golden. Let cool slightly, transfer to a clean kitchen towel and rub off the skins. Chop the hazelnuts.
- In a medium heatproof bowl, combine the chocolates. In a small saucepan, combine the crème fraiche, rum and sugar. Whisk over moderately low heat until simmering, then pour over the chocolate; whisk until smooth. Pour the chocolate evenly over the cooled puff pastry, smoothing the top. Top with raspberries and sprinkle with the toasted hazelnuts and fleur de sel. Cut into pieces and serve with madeira.
