I always thought the phrase went something like this: “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” In all honesty, if my husband didn’t cook, I don’t think he’d have made it into MY heart! (I’m joking…sort of!). When my husband and I were dating, he would cook me these amazing meals. And I have to say that the time and effort he spent on those meals revealed something about his character that just drew me in. It showed me that he wasn’t too “macho” to be in the kitchen. It showed me that he was creative and talented. It showed me that he cared about serving me and didn’t subscribe to society’s stereotypical male/female roles. So while there were many things that my husband did to “sweep me off my feet,” his ability and willingness to cook was one of them.
I’ve just spent the last few days checking out a really fabulous book by Eric S. Lee called Sweeping Her Off Her Feet With Food. The book is comprised of recipes I only dream of eating (and creating) like Chicken Sheldon, Baked Brie En Croute with Sliced Apples & Baguettes, and Fresh Strawberry Flambe Sundae. The photography captures the beauty of each creation. The author includes four menu ideas for a romantic dinner. The fact that this book was written by a man lends to it’s credibility. If he can do it, the men in your lives can surely attempt many of these recipes. Even those without experience or skill should be able to recreate these meals at home since he walks you through each recipe, step-by-step.
Each of the four menus include suggested wines, ways to “cheat” without compromising the taste or quality of the recipe, and tips on putting the entire menu together. Rather than spending a fortune on an expensive dinner out (which we won’t be doing this year), why not cook at home? The author doesn’t stop at menu and recipe ideas. He also includes romantic suggestions (I like his idea of sending a box of chocolates with a note about dinner at home), tips for setting the mood (like how to create a romantic table setting), and more ways to surprise a woman with food (like picnics!).
Here are a few recipes from the book, by permission (Valentine’s Day dinner idea perhaps?):
Salmon with Fresh Mango Salsa
2 Six – eight ounce Salmon filets (do not get steaks!)
1 Fresh mango peeled and cut into 1/2inch cubes (some grocers carry fresh
Mango already skinned in jars—produce dept)
1 Jalapeño seeded and diced (1/8 inch)
1/2 Red bell pepper diced (1/4 inch)(save the rest for roasting)
1/4 cup diced red onion (1/4 inch)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/3 cup oil (preferably olive oil)
lime
salt & pepper
Mango Salsa
Cut lime in half and squeeze the juice from both halves into a midsized mixing bowl whisk in half of the oil. Add the rest of the ingredients except salmon, remaining oil, salt and pepper in a midsized bowl and gently toss until well mixed. Be sure and stir using a large (wooden if possible) serving spoon, from bottom using your spoon in an upward, over and down folding motion to get all of the juice from the bottom mixed in with the rest of the ingredients. Add a dash of salt and pepper and gently mix again. Cover and refrigerate. Can be made one-day ahead.
Grilled Salmon
Turn outside grill on to medium high to heat up the grates. Place the salmon filets on a platter skin side down and rub remaining oil onto the meat until completely covered. Try and get some of the oil onto the skin. Feel free to use a bar-b-que sauce brush for this. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.
When grill is hot place filets on the grill, flesh side down and let cook for 5-7 minutes. Turn over and let cook another 3-4 minutes until salmon is just cooked through. Some like their salmon medium rare. If this is you cook a little less. If you need to check for doneness, though I try to avoid this, take a knife and gently slice into the top of the fish to ensure it is cooked to your preference. If it “flakes” all the way through but is still moist it is done. Since you will be topping it with the beautiful salsa you’ve made it won’t matter if you have “butchered” it a little.
Optionally, when salmon is done, take a metal spatula and insert it into the crease between the skin and the flesh and slide it all the way through until the skin is removed. Place each filet on top of a bed of sautéed spinach (page 39) on a beautiful plate. Top with Mango Salsa and serve.
Suggested Wine – Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
Heart-Shaped Pasta with Prosciutto, Fresh Tomato, Peas and Arugula
6 ounces *heart shaped pasta or pasta bowties, cooked until done, but slightly firm and drained (reserve 1/4 cup pasta water)
1/3 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup chicken broth (or 1 teaspoon bouillon dissolved in 1 cup warm water)
6-8 paper-thin slices prosciutto, cut into 1” ribbons (ask for it this way in the grocer’s deli)
3/4 cup frozen peas
2 small Roma tomatoes seeded and diced (just cut into quarters and scoop out the seeds)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cups roughly chopped arugula or 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in clam base or chicken broth
Salt and freshly cracked pepper
4 tablespoons shredded Parmesan
Optional: 10 large shrimp
Heart shaped pasta available and www.CheeseImporters.com
Preheat large sauté pan on medium-high heat. Add oil and garlic, and sauté garlic until it begins to soften, approximately 20-30 seconds—do not let it brown. Add white wine and cook until reduced by half. If using shrimp add now. Add base or broth and bring to a boil; add reserved pasta water, prosciutto, peas, tomato and shrimp, and cook for about 30 seconds. Stir in lemon juice, remove from heat and let stand another 30 seconds. Fold in pasta and arugula or basil. Salt and pepper to taste, divide between two dinner plates or pasta bowls, and top with shredded Parmesan.
Wine – Sauvignon Blanc, Vouvray
A great appetizer or late snack
Shrimp and Red Pepper Aioli Crostinis
1/2 pound small cooked shrimp (75-90 pieces per pound)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 clove garlic
1 heaping tablespoon finely chopped roasted red pepper
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Salt & pepper, to taste
8–10 half-inch slices of toasted French baguette
Olive oil
Parmesan
Your choice of fresh herbs: thyme, basil or oregano, chopped
Salt & pepper
Optional: black olive tapenade (recipe follows)
Optional: crème fraiche or sour cream
Eric’s Quick Aioli
Combine mayonnaise, red pepper, garlic & lemon juice in a blender, food processor or mixing bowl. Blend on medium-high speed until well mixed. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chill at least 1 hour.
Toss shrimp and aioli together in a medium mixing bowl until shrimp are well coated. Place back in fridge for at least a half-hour ahead of service. Brush baguette slices with olive oil, sprinkle with parmesan and herbs (if using), salt and pepper lightly, Place in oven, turn dial to “broil,” and cook until lightly browned, approximately 3–5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
Tapenade
1/2 cup black salad olives
1/2 cup kalamata olives
3 anchovies
1 tablespoon capers
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon
Place all ingredients except oil in processor or blender and blend until well chopped. Slowly drizzle in oil until mixture forms a paste.
Assemble Crostini
Place a tablespoon of the shrimp mixture on each toasted slice of baguette. If using tapenade, place 1/2 teaspoon on top of shrimp, and then a dollop of crème fraiche or sour cream. Sprinkle lightly with chopped fresh herbs; garnish plate with a pretty flower and serve.
Wine – Pinot Grigio, champagne
The Best Bread Pudding She’s Ever Had With Bourbon Crème Anglaise
This recipe is going to make extra so she can take some to work and brag to her friends about what a stud she’s got!
1 loaf French bread, cut into cubes and dried 2-3 hours
2 1/2 sticks melted butter (1/2 pound)
5 eggs
2 yolks
3 1/2cups heavy cream
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon vanilla
3/4 cup raisins
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place bread cubes in a 12” x 9” baking dish. Pour butter over bread cubes and mix together until butter is soaked into the bread. Combine next 9 ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl and whisk until well blended. Pour mixture (custard) over bread cubes and gently mix until all cubes are moist with the custard. Let stand for 3 minutes. Pour remaining butter over the top, then sprinkle brown sugar over that, making sure some of the sugar mixes with the butter. Place in center of oven and bake for 50 minutes or until pudding feels firm to the touch and a toothpick comes out clean. Top should be deep golden brown. Serve with Crème Anglaise (recipe follows) or Haagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream…I’m sorry I just love Haagen Dazs!
*Note: My favorite modification is to substitute the raisins with 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries, 3/4 cup macadamia nuts and 1 bar of white chocolate rectangles (not the baking squares—more like the thinner chocolate bar) broken into pieces. Cut the cinnamon and nutmeg quantities in half. Also substitute White Crème de Cacao for bourbon in the Crème Anglaise.
Bourbon Crème Anglaise
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
A shot of bourbon or whiskey (2 if you’re feeling thirsty–3 if you’re feeling thirsty and she’s feeling frisky!)
In a medium mixing bowl, combine yolks and sugar and whisk until well blended. Place milk, cream and vanilla in a medium sauté pan and warm on medium-high heat. When cream mixture reaches a soft boil, take 1/4 of the warm cream and add it to the yolk mixture, whisking gently until well blended. Turn remainder of the cream to high heat and slowly whisk in yolk mixture until sauce comes to a boil. Let boil no longer than 5 seconds while whisking vigorously. Remove from heat and let stand for 15 minutes; then chill in fridge for at least an hour. When sauces cools, stir in bourbon until well blended. Serve when ready.
Sweeping Her Off Her Feet With Food retails for $29.95 and is available on their site and Amazon.com. They also have an eVersion for $14.99.
I did not receive compensation for this post. I received the book, courtesy of the company to facilitate my review.
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Wow! That bread pudding sounds delicious!! Although with 1/2 pound of butter and 3 1/2 cups of cream, it’s pretty much guaranteed to help you lose your girlish figure!! Love the heart-shaped pasta!
(Why do I think of that caveman Geico commercial every time I see a recipe for Mango Salsa?!)
Thanks for the review–sounds like a great cookbook.
My choice in the healthy category is the grilled salmon. But, on pure taste, I’d have to say bread pudding. mmmmm. good. Definitely the way to my heart is through my stomach. Unfortunately I’m a terrible cook.
This looks like such a great book!