A Valentine Worthy Meal

I tend not to think too much about Valentine's day, whether I actually have a valentine or don't (this year I'm going solo). I think I have something against forced Hallmark holidays - shouldn't every day be Valentine's Day, showing those you love that you care about them?! Either way, the holiday and the long weekend got me thinking about happiness and gratitude...and of course food. And last night I found myself craving a dinner with a touch of love, comfort and sweetness. Feeding yourself and others can really be one of the most expressive ways to show how much you care. So with all that in mind, I decided to turn out something I normally wouldn't be attracted to. I'm usually a straight-up savory girl when it comes to meals, saving the sweet strictly for dessert. But the warm, cozy combo of freshly made ravioli from the greenmarket (I went for the spinach-ricotta filled to give more bite and a bit more veg), fresh sage, browned butter and butternut squash had me intrigued from the get-go. The merging of sweet-savory, healthy (butternut squash is jammed with antioxidants and vitamin A and is only 80 cals a cup) and a touch of indulgence with the butter seemed perfect for Valentine's. And it definitely was, freaking delish. I snuck a few walnuts in there for some additional antioxidants and healthy omega-3 fats. For your cooking and tasting pleasure, the recipe's below. Balance the buttery dish out and start your meal with this light winter salad to keep calories right on track and your V-day figure kicking.

Winter Salad with Walnuts & Piave
Serves 4
1 small head radicchio, 1 small head butter (or bibb), and 1 small endive
1/4 cup toasted chopped walnuts
Juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes

1/4 cup grated Piave cheese

Toss all ingredients but Piave together in a large salad bowl. Sprinkle Piave atop and serve. Done and done!

Ravioli with Sage, Brown Butter & Butternut Squash Puree
Serves 2
1 lb butternut squash, peeled and cubed
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
8 to 10 fresh-made ravioli – regular or spinach (I used the spinach ravioli from Hudson Valley Farmhouse/Knoll Crest Farm, sold at the Union Square farmer’s market)
1 small garlic clove, minced
1.5 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp fresh sage, chopped
1/3 cup low-fat milk
1/2 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 Tbsp walnuts, chopped
Piave or Parmesan cheese for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Drizzle butternut squash with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast for 20-25 minutes.
In a medium mixing bowl, mash squash until creamy.
Bring a pot of water to boil for ravioli.
Heat a medium saute pan over medium-low heat and add butter. Allow butter to brown slightly, add garlic and sage and cook 3 to 4 minutes.
Add butternut squash, milk, salt, pepper and walnuts to pan and stir until well-blended. Keep warm on low heat.
Cook ravioli for 3 to 5 minutes until done.
Arrange a thin circle of squash mixture on plates and top with 5 ravioli. Garnish with shaved Piave or Parmesan cheese.

Dreaming of somewhere warm...a Mediterranean-inspired meal

As much as I love pretty white blankets of snow, I am O-V-E-R this cold weather (and so is my pale, sun-deprived skin). While the snow steadily fell yesterday, I sat on my couch planning out a long-awaited vacation (too bad it's not until May!) tossing ideas around of Greece, Italy or Turkey and dreaming of warmer weather and anything that involves me on a beach. To further the fantasy, I decided to create some sort of Mediterranean dinner with whatever I had lying around in the fridge, clearly I wasn't about to trek out to the grocery store. So here's what I came up--light, easy, warm and flavorful for a cold evening at home...and all dressed up on a graphic Turkish serving dish. *Disclaimer: I realize that there are tomatoes and red bell peppers in the dish, and that they're not in season...I attempt to buy just about everything seasonally and as much from the farmers market as I can, but deviating from the norm on occasion won't kill anyone.

Roast Chicken with Tomatoes, Red Peppers & Onions

serves 2 to 4

1 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken breast

3 small tomatoes, quartered

1 1/2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced

1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 large garlic clove, thinly sliced

1 Tbsp fresh thyme

1/4 cup white wine

1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon salt

pepper to taste

Turkish spice blend (like baharat) or hot pepper/red pepper flakes to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Arrange chicken, tomatoes, peppers, onions and garlic in roasting pan or glass dish.

Add in chicken broth and wine. Season with thyme, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.

Roast for 40-45 minutes, basting halfway through.

before

after

Love + decadent dessert for Valentine's Day

If you're looking to impress (or entice, seduce, tempt, woo...insert your word of choice here) your valentine this Sunday, look no further than the ridiculously decadent, indulgent dessert below. Talk about a great way to finish off a meal, this is one dessert that will work its way into anyone's heart -- and I write from experience here. True, it's not the lightest of desserts, but we all need a little indulgence every so often and I can't think of a better day to do it up. The balancing point with this tart however, is that it's so rich it's nearly impossible to down a hefty piece. A small slice will do just fine and you get some bonus points and disease-fighting antioxidants with the dark chocolate and raspberries. Since raspberries aren't in season right now, I'd go with the frozen organic ones to make the coulis. They're cheaper and will be just as good. Here's to a little lovin' and decadence this Valentine's!

Bourbon Chocolate Tart with Fleur de Sel and Raspberry Coulis

Makes 12 servings

Tart Crust

1 cup all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch pieces

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Tart Filling

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I usually use an equal mixture of a hunk of 54% cacao and one that’s 65% or above)

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons bourbon

1/4 teaspoon salt

Tart Glaze

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1 3/4 ounces bittersweet or dark chocolate, chopped (I use a chocolate that’s above 65% cacoa)

1 teaspoon light corn syrup

1 tablespoon warm water

1 tablespoon bourbon

¼ teaspoon fleur de sel (flaky French sea salt that’s great for baking and pretty presentation)

Raspberry Coulis

2 cups fresh raspberries, plus more for serving

2 to 3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. In a food processor, blend the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter, egg yolk, and vanilla and pulse until the mixture forms a large moist clump.

3. Press the dough into a 9-inch round fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough up the sides, press the bottom of the dough four or five times with the tines or a fork, and bake for 10 minutes, then cool.

4. For the filling: Bring the heavy cream to a boil in a medium saucepan, then remove from the heat. Add the chocolate and stir until melted.

5. Whisk the eggs, vanilla, bourbon, and salt in a small bowl and add to the chocolate. Pour the filling into the tart shell and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for about an hour.

6. For the glaze: Bring the heavy cream to a boil in a medium saucepan, then remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate. Add the corn syrup, warm water, and bourbon. Gently pour evenly over the tart. Sprinkle the fleur de sel over the tart and allow to stand for about an hour.

7. For the raspberry coulis: Heat the raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan and simmer for about 10 minutes. Strain the seeds out through a small sieve if desired.

Carefully remove the tart from the outer part of the pan. Serve with 2 to 3 teaspoons of raspberry coulis and fresh raspberries.