THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, February 12, 1997 TAG: 9702080156
SECTION: FLAVOR PAGE: F1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MELISSA SMETTS, JOHNSON & WALES UNIVERSITY
LENGTH: 39 lines
EACH Valentine's Day people agonize over how to express their feelings to their loved ones. Roses and chocolates are fine, but for some folks nothing works like a romantic dinner. With that in mind, we've created an almost foolproof Valentine's Day menu. Most of the components can be made in advance and refrigerated until an hour or so before serving. The entree can be a simple grilled steak (Many cuts are on sale this week; see Market Report on this page) or a surf and turf of steak and stuffed shrimp. If you like, you can use the stuffed shrimp as an appetizer.
The techniques are simple, but the results can be stunning. For instance, simply slicing an uncapped strawberry almost through and ``fanning'' the cut berry makes an attractive and easy garnish for our Strawberry Trifle. Stuffing the back of a shrimp, instead of the belly, creates a different but delicious look.
For a more romantic ambience, set the table with two napkins and two sets of utensils, and then serve the meal on one big shared plate.
On page F?, you'll find a shopping list, recipes and the order of preparation to make your Valentine's dinner a sweet success. MEMO: Melissa Smetts is a sophomore at Johnson & Wales University in
Norfolk. Food-styling and recipe testing were also contributed by
students Shane D. Gehringer and Sandra Clark. ILLUSTRATION: [Color] PHOTOS BY IAN MARTIN/The Virginian-Pilot
At right: Light the candles, pop in a CD and let the feast begin
with Grilled Rib-eye Steak With Bearnaise Sauce, Stuffed Cheese
Potatoes and Sauteed Green Beans With Mushrooms.
This luscious Fresh Strawberry Trifle, layered in Valentine's Day
colors, is a cool, sweet way to cap off your celebratory dinner.