Valentine’s Day Recipes
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and our very own Betty has created some beautiful and amazing dishes to make for your loved ones. In this blog post, we have bolognese sauce, bruschetta, chicken in prosciutto, and tiramisu cupcakes. We can’t wait to hear about how much you enjoy! Happy Cooking!
Bolognese Sauce
This is such a great easy go to recipe for the fall and winter. It’s a stand alone with a simple salad and garlic bread, but also pairs well with the Chicken in Prosciutto. You will note it’s a big batch recipe for a large group or plan on freezing some for a fast freezer go to. You can freeze with cooked pasta or just the sauce.
Ingredients:
2 medium onions
4 ribs celery
2 medium carrots
5 cloves garlic
¼ cup olive oil
¼ pound pancetta or slab bacon processed until finely chopped
1 pound ground veal
1 pound ground pork
1 pound ground lamb
2 links hot Italian sausage – (removed from casings)
1 – 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 – 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 – 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup white wine
1 cup whole milk
1 cup water
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon pepper
sugar to taste – if needed a- approx. 1 tablespoon
Instructions:
Finely chop vegetables and sauté in olive oil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add meats. Cook and stir to break up pieces until no longer pink. Drain fats if desired.
Stir in tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, milk, wine, water, thyme and gently simmer, covered until sauce is thickened, about 1 ½ hours. Add salt and pepper and sugar if needed.
Sauce can be made 2 days ahead. Can be frozen for 1 month.
Bruschetta Topping
This appetizer is as good looking as it is tasting. You can make it the morning of and let it sit at room temp until ready to assemble.
Ingredients:
½ lb. quarter size mozzarella balls cut in half
1 ½ cup grape tomatoes cut in half
1 small tomato, chopped
¼ cup diced yellow onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 bunch basil, chopped or julienned
¼ cup white wine
¼ cup olive oil
1/8 cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt, pepper
Balsamic reduction
Instructions:
Heat olive oil in skillet until very hot. Add chopped tomato, onion and garlic. Sauté for about 3 minutes and add white wine. Reduce the liquid and add remaining tomatoes and half the basil. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté for about 4 minutes until tomatoes are just heated through. Allow to cool down just a bit and toss in mozzarella cheese.
Arrange pre-purchased or home-made bruschetta or crostini-serving piece and top with tomato mixture. Top with parmesan cheese and basil. Drizzle with balsamic reduction.
Chicken in Prosciutto
If you have never used Taleggio cheese be warned it is in the “stinky cheese” family – which in my opinion is the best! If the rind is white and clean, do not trim but use all of the cheese. Do follow the partial freeze trick or you will have a harder time trying to stuff with success and without a mess!
Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breast
4 ounces Taleggio cheese
8 slices prosciutto ham
Salt, pepper
¼ cup olive oil
Instructions:
Place cheese in freezer to firm up before cutting and stuffing
Cut a pocket in each chicken breast and insert a 1-ounce pieces of cheese. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Layer 2 pieces of ham overlapping slices. Wrap chicken tightly.
Heat oil in skillet and cook chicken until ham is browned and crisp on each side. Transfer to oven proof dish and bake in 350 oven until done (about 18 minutes). Let rest 10 minutes or more and slice on the diagonal.
Serve over anything your imagination leads you to……. spinach, arugula or sauteed mushrooms and shallots.
Tiramisu Cupcakes
Yes, many steps, but YES worth the effort! I use a Wilton #12 tip for the icing look in the photograph.
Ingredients:
½ cup butter room temperature
¾ cup sugar
4 egg yolks
6 T whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
Instructions:
Mix dry ingredients. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy and add yolks one at a time mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk. Pour into muffin pan lined with cupcake liners. Recipe makes 10. Bake in 350 over for about 18 minutes until tester comes out clean.
Cool cupcakes in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan and using a skewer or fork poke several holes in the tops of cupcakes. Brush with coffee syrup:
Coffee Syrup
1 ½ teaspoon instant espresso powder
¼ cup water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon coffee liqueur
Combine ingredients and bring to a boil. Be sure and use all the syrup on cupcake tops. Dip cupcakes in Chocolate ganache:
Chocolate Ganache Glaze
1/3 cup heavy cream
4 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
Boil cream, add chocolate pieces and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Mix well and cool slightly. After dipping or spreading, allow ganache to set before icing.
Icing
8 oz. mascarpone
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon Marsala
3/4 cup heavy cream
cocoa power
chocolate shavings
In an electric mixer beat together mascarpone, sugar and Marsala. Add cream and continue beating until icing consistency. Do not overbeat. Fill pastry bag with tip of choice and frost the tops. Dust with cocoa powder.