We're a week into February and it's time to start thinking about Valentine's Day. Do you call your favorite restaurant for reservations, or do you organize your shopping list for a romantic dinner at home? I'm in favor of the second option, since next Wednesday is comparable to Mother's Day as one of the busiest of the year for dining out.
Historians disagree about the origins of our current practice of sending sentimental cards, bouquets of flowers and boxes of chocolates to our sweethearts. There are three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus recognized by the Catholic Church; unfortunately all of them were martyred for actions contrary to Roman laws. One story from third century Rome recognizes a priest who continued to perform secret marriages for young lovers despite an edict from Claudius against the practice. Another legend celebrates a Valentine who was killed for aiding Christians escaping Roman prisons. The third of these romantic figures is reputed to have been in prison when he signed a letter to his beloved "from your Valentine," a phrase familiar to card-shoppers everywhere.
By the Middle Ages, mid-February was chosen to commemorate romance because it coincided with the beginning of mating season for songbirds (or perhaps to overlay an unsavory pagan ritual known as Lupercalia). Chaucer wrote about Valentine's Day, and Charles, Duke of Orleans, penned a Valentine Day's greeting to his wife while a prisoner in the Tower of London (it's presently part of the manuscript collection in the British Library).
The Valentine's Day traditions we know today came to this country from Europe in the 1700s, featuring handmade greetings embellished with lace and ribbons. The tradition became widespread in the mid-1800s, when Esther A. Howland began mass-producing cards. This has kept pace with the evolution of printing technology, and sales of Valentine's Day cards have become a multi-billion-dollar annual industry.
But, back to the menu for Valentine's Day dinner. Start with a pretty salad, perhaps mozzarella and tomato drizzled with olive oil and Balsamic vinegar. Stay away from plum, Roma or "on the vine" tomatoes because at this time of year they'll have no flavor and the texture of cardboard. If you choose Campari tomatoes (typically sold in plastic clamshell boxes) you can enjoy a juicy hint of summer in your salad.
For the main course, I'd suggest the steak rolls in the photo. Thin, tender slices of beef are wrapped around julienned vegetables. These are pan-seared and served with an Asian-flavored sauce. If you make these, don't use flank steak (as I did); despite aggressive trimming and pounding, it was still a bit too thick.
The super-thin slices in the grocery store, sometimes labeled for braciola, won't work, as they're too flimsy to hold the vegetables together. Hickman's Meat Market sells thin pieces of beef they've labeled for cheese steaks. These are just the right size and shape, and they pound nicely into the correct thickness.
Depending upon how soft or crunchy you like your vegetables, you can either steam them briefly or keep them raw to be cooked when the rolls are seared in the skillet. As a side dish, try a sun-dried tomato risotto to add a touch of pink to the plate. And, for dessert – the only answer is chocolate.
Insalata Caprese
2 or 3 Campari tomatoes
4 oz fresh mozzarella
salt & pepper, to taste
1 T olive oil
2 t Balsamic vinegar
3 fresh basil leaves
Cut the tomatoes and mozzarella into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange in alternating layers on 2 salad plates. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and Balsamic vinegar. Stack the basil leaves and roll together (like a cigar); cut into thin threads (chiffonade). Scatter basil over tomato and mozzarella. Yield: 2 servings.
Sun-Dried Tomato Risotto
1/2 C sun-dried tomatoes in oil
1 T olive oil
1 T unsalted butter
2 minced shallots
1 C Arborio rice
1/2 t salt
1/2 C white wine
3 C chicken broth
1 T unsalted butter
1/3 C grated Parmesan cheese
Chopped parsley for garnish
Drain and chop the sun-dried tomatoes; set aside. Place the olive oil and butter in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in the rice and cook for another 3 minutes. Pour in wine and cook until the liquid is absorbed. Add broth, 1/2 C at a time, stirring constantly until liquid is absorbed before the next addition. After about 20 minutes of cooking the rice should be done (tender yet slightly firm). Gently stir in chopped tomatoes, 1 T butter and Parmesan cheese. Cover and allow to rest 5 minutes before serving. Yield: 4 servings.
Beef Roll-ups
4 oz asparagus (8-10 spears)
1 red bell pepper
2 carrots
6 green onions
1/2 C soy sauce
1 T packed brown sugar
3 minced garlic cloves
1 minced shallot
2 T freshly grated ginger
1 t sesame oil
1 lb thin-sliced sirloin pieces
pepper
1 T olive oil
1 t sesame seeds (optional)
Trim the base from the asparagus spears to make each about 4 inches long; set aside. Cut the red bell pepper into pieces 1/4-inch wide and 4-inches long; set aside. Peel the carrots and cut into pieces about 1/4-inch wide and 4-inches long; set aside.
Cut off the root end of the green onions and trim the tops to leave them 4-inches long; set aside.
In a large skillet, bring 1/2 C water to a boil. Add vegetables, cover pan and remove from heat. In a small saucepan, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and sesame oil. Cover and keep warm over very low heat. If needed, pound beef pieces to a uniform 1/4-inch thickness with a meat tenderizer. Season meat with salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange a combination of vegetable pieces crosswise on each piece of meat (you may not need all the vegetables). Roll up meat around the middle of the vegetables and secure with a toothpick. Heat a grill pan over medium high. Place rolls in the pan, seam side down, and cook until browned, about 2-3 minutes. Turn and cook each side. Drizzle with warm soy sauce mixture and serve garnished with sesame seeds, if desired. Yield: 4 servings.
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Send questions, comments and recipe ideas to Denise at capeflavors@comcast.net.
