We had a wonderful meal on Valentine's Day evening, and we also had fun preparing it together. The menu was grilled veal chops, baked mashed potatoes with gruyere and sage, and baked fennel.
Sage-Gruyere Baked Mashed Potatoes:
4 large potatoes
2 c. grated gruyere cheese
about 20 sage leaves
2 T. butter
Peel and cut potatoes. Boil until tender. Meanwhile, fry some sage leaves in butter til browned. Mash the potatoes with some butter and milk. Add salt and pepper, and stir in 1 1/2 c. grated gruyere. Place half in buttered baking dish. Add half the sage. Put remaining potatoes on top, and top with remaining 1/2 c. of cheese and the rest of the sage. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes.
For the fennel, we used Lidia's recipe for "Finnocchi alla Parmigiana con Prosciutto".
Brad and I work very well together in the kitchen. He is the perfect sous chef, as he follows directions, and does whatever I ask him to do. He loves his knives, and is happy to prep!
Veal: I marinated the chops in the morning with lots of rosemary, garlic, olive oil , sea salt and black pepper. Brad grilled them to a perfect medium rare.
Potatoes: Brad peeled and I cut and boiled the potatoes. I fried the sage, he grated cheese and mashed. I layered the potatoes.
Fennel: Brad is a great fennel cutter! I blanched them while he cut the prosciutto.
Dessert? Of course! But this is my department. I made this on Friday, when Brad was flying home from Seattle. I usually make him something chocolate for Valentine's Day, but Brad requested something we would both eat - an ice cream pie. I made a chocolate cookie crust, and used Dryer's Butterfinger ice cream, combining two of our favorite flavor combinations: chocolate and caramel!
It was quite a memorable feast! Back on the soup diet now!
Comments (9)
Palma-Your Valentine's dinner looks wonderful. That's so nice that Brad likes to help in the kitchen. Mine has no desire, except that he did want to help make the mozzarella, and is looking forward to more cheese. Who knows, he might decide he wants a cheese press so we can make hard cheeses.
Posted by Cindy Ruth | February 16, 2009 8:29 AM
Posted on February 16, 2009 08:29
What a lovely meal. I'm dying for this dessert!...well for ALL of it! You're a very special couple all year round.
Posted by Barb Cabot | February 16, 2009 8:47 AM
Posted on February 16, 2009 08:47
Looks fantastic, Palma!
Posted by sandrac | February 16, 2009 11:32 AM
Posted on February 16, 2009 11:32
Looks like it was a wonderful meal. I might have to try those mashed potatoes.
Posted by girasoli | February 16, 2009 1:21 PM
Posted on February 16, 2009 13:21
Are you really doing the soup diet? I am starting on a diet today. So far so good.
Posted by jgk | February 16, 2009 4:08 PM
Posted on February 16, 2009 16:08
Those potatoes look wonderful! What is the Soup Diet? Is it the Cabbage/Veggie Soup that you eat for all 3 meals? I have to do something soon!
Posted by sheri | February 16, 2009 6:17 PM
Posted on February 16, 2009 18:17
No "Official Soup Diet"...just trying to eat a bowl of soup every day for lunch to get rid of all my Slow Souper leftovers in the freezer!
Posted by Palma | February 16, 2009 6:58 PM
Posted on February 16, 2009 18:58
What a wonderful dinner! Yummy!
Posted by nancyhol | February 16, 2009 8:03 PM
Posted on February 16, 2009 20:03
Love the heart cake with the sprinkles.
Sprinkles just make me smile.
Posted by Deborah | February 17, 2009 6:29 AM
Posted on February 17, 2009 06:29