Menu Ideas for Valentine's Day?

Question

My husband, being the wonderful man he is, has requested shepherd's pie for Valentine's Day. He loves it and we haven't had it in awhile. However, this isn't really what I consider a romantic meal. I'd like to dress it up by serving an appetizer, salad and dessert. The dessert is easy. I'm making cheesecake because that his hubby's favorite. But I have no clue what kind of appetizer or salad would go with shepherd's pie.

Any ideas? Anyone?

Answer 1

I think your awesome. The best thing you can do is make your hubbys favorites. So you just set the atmosphere with candles, sexy music, and a slinky number.

I made this recipe once after I saw the Barefoot Contessa and my husband I thought it was positively fanastic and the flavours really come alive in your mouth.

Salad with Warm Goat Cheese
1 (11-ounce) log plain or herbed Montrachet
2 extra-large egg whites, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Fresh white bread crumbs
For the dressing:
2 tablespoons good cider vinegar
2 tablespoons good Champagne vinegar
Pinch sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 extra-large egg yolk
1 cup good olive oil

Enough mixed salad greens for 6 servings
Olive oil and unsalted butter, for frying


Slice the Montrachet into 12 (1/2-inch-thick) slices. (The easiest way to slice goat cheese is to use a length of dental floss.) Dip each slice into the beaten egg whites, then the bread crumbs, being sure the cheese is thoroughly coated. Place the slices on a rack and chill them for at least 15 minutes.
For the dressing, place the vinegars, sugar, salt, pepper, and egg yolk in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and blend for 1 minute. With the motor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube until the vinaigrette is thickened. Season, to taste.

Toss the salad greens with enough dressing to moisten, then divide them among 6 plates.

Melt 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a saute pan over medium-high heat until just under smoking. Cook the goat cheese rounds quickly on both sides until browned on the outside but not melted inside. Top each salad with 2 warm rounds and serve.


Oysters Rockefeller

1/3 cup/about 8 g chervil leaves
¼ cup/about 5 g celery leaves
¼ cup/about 5 g watercress leaves
1 cup/55 g fresh breadcrumbs made from French bread
4 tablespoons/60 g butter, melted
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon/15 ml olive oil
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
4 lightly packed cups/130 g fresh baby spinach leaves
1/3 cup/80 ml Pernod
Rock salt
12 fresh live oysters, shucked and shells reserved

Using a mortar and pestle, pound the chervil, celery leaves and watercress until the greens are bruised and resemble a paste. Transfer the herb mixture to a cutting board and finely chop the herb mixture with a sharp knife.

Toss the herb mixture in a large bowl with the fresh breadcrumbs to combine. Drizzle the melted butter over the breadcrumb mixture and toss to coat. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper. Set the herb breadcrumbs aside.

Place a large saute pan over a medium to high heat and drizzle the olive oil into the pan. Add the shallots and sauté for 1 minute or until just tender. Add the spinach and season with sea salt and pepper. Add the Pernod and saute for 2 minutes or until the spinach wilts and most of the juices evaporate. Once the spinach wilts, remove the pan from the heat.

Preheat the oven to 450 FSpoon 12 mounds of rock salt over a heavy, large baking sheet. Remove the oysters from their shells and set them aside on a plate. Place the spinach mixture on each oyster shell, dividing equally. Place one oyster on top of the spinach mixture in each shell. Spoon the breadcrumb mixture over the oysters, dividing equally.

Place each prepared oyster atop a mound of rock salt on the baking sheet. The mounds of rock salt will help keep the oyster shells in place and prevent them from toppling over and spilling their ingredients while they cook.

Bake for 15 minutes or until the breadcrumb mixture is golden brown. Meanwhile, form 12 mounds of rock salt on a large platter. Remove the oysters from the baking sheet and place on the mounds of rock salt on the platter and enjoy immediately.

Answer 2

Sweetie,a basic salad is nice,however my favorite salad consists of Thinly sliced(when i say thin i mean THIN) red onion,baby spinach leaves,grape tomatoes,drained mandarine oranges(sometimes,depends on the mood),and serve this with a honey mustard vinaigrette.This is my favorite dressing for salad,and it is delicious.I use it on every salad imaginable.

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt or taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
1/2 cup vegetable oil
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the vinegar, honey, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper.
While continuing to whisk mixture, slowly pour in vegetable oil in a small stream, whisking constantly until fully incorporated and slightly thickened. (Place the bowl on a damp tea towel to prevent it from slipping.)
Store any unused portion in the refrigerator.

Good luck hun and have a good night.Happy Early Valentines Day!!

Answer 3

i'm making deviled eggs as appetizer for my valentines menu.
it's elegant, simple, and delicious!

Answer 4

u should make some heart shapes cookies or somthing!