Susanna Griffith, honor graduate of the Culinary Institute of America offer a menu to make your Valentine's Day very special.

Valentine's Day is a day of romance, sensuality, intrigue, and fun.  In honor of this romantic holiday we have named the consecutive courses of this meal to coincide with a simple outline of a burgeoning relationship - whether it be with this meal or with a romantic interest.  This Valentine's menu was created with a multitude of considerations ranging from ease of preparation and sensual delight to food and wine pairing methods.  Even though this menu may appear to be complicated, the items for this menu are relatively easy to find in most grocery stores.  Some of the items you can even find already prepared or at least partially prepared.  After all, some of us don't want to spend all night in the kitchen on Valentine's Day.  For an additional spin on your senses, try the last course blindfolded and feed each other the treats.

The two main food and wine pairing methods used in this menu focus on the second and third course.  The second course specifically uses a fruit juice and oil dressing rather than a classic vinaigrette.  The theory behind this wine friendly change is based on the belief that a vinegar based dressing distracts the palate from enjoying the flavor profile of any wine and food pairing.  The third course uses a method known as a "liquid bridge."  A liquid bridge can best be described as using the same wine in the preparation of a course that you are planning to serve.  In this case the Joseph Phelps Cabernet is used in the completion of the accompanying sauce.  This effectively creates a liquid bridge or flavor connection between the wine and the meal.

The Flirtation:
Spicy Tangerine and Lime Oyster Ceviché with Blood Red Orange Sections soaked in Damiana Liqueur
Wine Pairing:  Daniel-Etienne Defaix Chablis 2001. Burgundy, France.

The Date:
Baby Spinach Salad with Organic Crimson Rose Petals drizzled with a Passion fruit Dressing.
Wine Pairing:  Bodegas Aldial "Naia" 2002. Rueda, Spain.

The Engagement:
Pan Seared Beef Tenderloin with a Cabernet and Jacob Framboise Sauce
Served with Savory Roasted New Potatoes, Broccoli Rabe and Warm Cherry Tomatoes
Wine Pairing: Joseph Phelps Innisfree Cabernet 2002. Napa Valley, California.

The Commitment:
Dark Chocolate Dipped Strawberries and Fromage Blanc Chocolate Truffles
Wine Pairing: Castello del Poggio Brachetto N/V. Piemonte, Italy.

Recipes:

Spicy Tangerine and Lime Oyster Ceviche with Blood Red Orange Sections Soaked in Damiana Liqueur

Yield:  2 portions

     1/2 cup fresh Tangerine juice
     1/4 cup fresh lime juice
     1 teaspoon Chili Garlic Sauce
     1/2 teaspoon orange zest (orange part only)
     1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
     12 freshly shucked oysters
     1 Blood Red Orange - sectioned
     1 tablespoon Damiana Liqueur

1.  In a medium bowl combine first five ingredients and stir.
2.  Add the oysters.
3.  Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours.
4.  In a small bowl place the blood red orange sections and drizzle with the Damiana Liqueur.  Set aside
5.  When ready to serve.  Strain the juice mixture from the oysters.
6.  Add the orange sections with the Damiana Liqueur to the oysters.
7.  Serve on the half shell.  Three half shells per plate.
8.  Each shell should have 2 oysters and 1 orange section.

Baby Spinach Salad with Organic Crimson Rose petals drizzled with a Passion fruit Dressing

Yield:  2 portions

     4  cups baby spinach
     1  cup organic rose petals (approximately 1 rose) - washed and trimmed
     1  cup Passion fruit Dressing (See recipe below)

1.  When purchasing roses from a florist, make sure to specify that you need organic roses.
2.  Wash and set spinach aside.
3.  Gently separate and wash rose petals.  Set aside
4.  Prepare dressing.
5.  When ready to serve gently combine the baby spinach and rose petals together and plate.
6.  Drizzle each salad with 3 tablespoons dressing.

Passion Fruit Dressing

     1 passion fruit
     2 tablespoons orange juice
     2 tablespoons lemon juice
     2 tablespoons grapefruit juice
     1/4 cup canola oil
     1/2 teaspoon Salt

1.  Cut the passion fruit in half.
2.  Scoop out the seeds into a blender.
3.  Add the orange, lemon, and grapefruit juice.  Blend and strain.
3.  Add the salt and oil.
4.  Whisk and serve.

Pan Seared Beef Tenderloin with a Cabernet and Lucien Jacob Framboise Sauce

Yield:  2 portions

    10-12 oz Beef Tenderloin, sliced into 2 portions
     2 Tbs Olive Oil
     2 cups Cabernet Sauvignon
     ¼ cup Lucien Jacob Framboise (raspberry liqueur)
     1 Shallot, minced
     2 tsp. Fresh Thyme (or ½ tsp. Dried)
     Kosher Salt, to taste
     Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste
     1-2 Tbs Unsalted Butter
     Fresh Raspberries

1. Trim excess fat from the tenderloin portions.  Season both sides of the steaks with salt and pepper.
2. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan until hot, but not smoking.  Add steaks and sear uncovered, about 5 minutes.  Turn and sear the other side.  Reduce heat and cook another 7-10 minutes, to desired doneness.  Remove steaks from pan and keep warm.
3. Pour off any excess fat.  Add minced shallots and sauté briefly.  Add the red wine, the framboise, and fresh thyme.  Reduce by half or until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.  Stir in the butter.  Serve sauce over the steaks.  Garnish with fresh raspberries.

Savory Roasted New Potatoes

     1/2 pound Red Bliss Potatoes
     3-4 Tbs Olive Oil
     Kosher Salt, to taste
     Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste
     Paprika, to taste
     2 Tbs Fresh Rosemary, minced
     2 cloves Garlic, sliced

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF
2. Clean and quarter potatoes.  Cover with cold salted water and bring to a boil  Par-cook.  Potatoes should still be firm when pierced with a fork.  Drain well.
3. Toss potatoes with the remaining ingredients.  Place in single layer on baking sheet.
4. Roast until brown and crisp, about 20-30 minutes.

Broccoli Rabe (or Broccolini)

     1 bunch broccoli rabe
     ½ Tbs Unsalted Butter
     ½ Tbs Olive Oil
     Salt and Pepper, to taste

1.  When choosing broccoli rabe at the grocers, pick those with the smallest stems and crisp fresh leaves.  Don’t overcook!
2.  Rinse broccoli rabe thoroughly.
3.  Heat butter and oil in skillet until hot but not smoking.
4.  Sauté for 2-5 minutes or until crisp tender.  Season to taste.

Dark Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

     8 oz best quality bittersweet chocolate (I prefer Callebaut)
     4-6 perfect strawberries, even prettier if the stems are still attached

1. Melt chocolate in a double boiler over simmering, not boiling water.  Remove chocolate from heat.
2. Dip berries, one at a time in the chocolate, coating thoroughly.
3. Allow to dry on wax or parchment paper.

Fromage Blanc Chocolate Truffles

This recipe is from my dear friend, Ric Orlando, chef/owner of New World Home Cooking in Woodstock, New York.  It and other recipes can be found in his new book:  We Want Clean Food!, the companion book to his PBS Series of “Ric Orlando’s TV Kitchen.”
Look for Fromage Blanc (mild unsalted goat’s cheese) at Central Market or Whole Foods Market.

Yield:  24 Truffles

     8 oz best quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
     6 oz fresh Fromage Blanc
     2 Tbs confectioner’s sugar
     ½ tsp vanilla extract
     1/8 tsp lemon extract
     2 Tbs pure ancho chile powder
     2 Tbs cocoa powder
     2 Tbs cinnamon