Valentine’s Day is almost here. Have you booked a table for two at your favorite restaurant? Have you noticed the cost of truffles recently?

Valentine’s Day does not have to be all about store-bought chocolate and a night out at a restaurant. Homemade and sinfully delicious truffles make a wonderfully romantic gift. Crunchy and easy to make biscotti can be a special treat. Incorporate the receiver’s favorite spirit to the mix and voilà– a personalized gift.

Thanks to Natalie Wood for being our expert in the Kitchen.

MAIN COURSES

	FACT: When you add spirits to a recipe that is heated, the alcohol content evaporates, leaving only the taste behind. If a spirit is added to a recipe that is not heated, the alcohol provides an intense burst of flavor but the alcohol content remains.

Pepper Steak

• 2 - 8 ounce steaks
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 shallots, minced
• 1/3 cup cognac or brandy
• ½ cup beef broth
• 1 cup 35% cream
• salt
• 6 tablespoons crushed black peppercorns

1. Rub each steak with a little of the butter and season with salt and the peppercorns.
2. Melt the remaining butter in a frying pan and cook the steaks to your taste.
3. Remove the steaks from the pan.
4. Add the minced shallots to the pan and cook over medium heat for one minute. Add the cognac or brandy and let the liquid reduce for half a minute. Stir in the beef broth and bring to a boil. Add the cream and let the mixture thicken. Season with salt.
5. Add the steaks to the pan and simmer for 30 seconds and serve.

Pork Tenderloin with Maple Rum Glaze

• 1 pork tenderloin
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
• salt and pepper
• 3 teaspoons butter
• 4 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons amber or dark Rum
• 2 teaspoons grainy dijon mustard

1. Cut the pork into 3 ounces pieces. ( one tenderloin should yield 4-6 pieces)
2. Flatten the pork by place it between two sheets of wax paper and pounding it with a meat tenderizer.
3. Toss the meat into the flour, which had been seasoned with salt, pepper and thyme.
4. Sauté the pork in the butter until cooked , remove from the pan.
5. Add the rum to the pan and let the liquid reduce for 30 seconds, then add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
6. Return the pork to the pan and coat with the sauce and serve.

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SALADS

Mixed Green Salad with Raspberry Brandy Dressing

• 3 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 tablespoon raspberry vinegar
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon brandy
• salt & pepper
• 1 cup mixed greens
• 4 strawberries, quartered
• ¼ red onion, slivered
• 3 mushrooms, sliced

1. Mix all the dressing ingredients together except for the oil.
2. Whisk the oil in slowly and season with salt and pepper.
3. Drizzle a little dressing on the salad and toss.

Sexy orange chocolate fondue

Chocolate ice balls

Roll large balls of chocolate ice cream in miniature chocolate chips and freeze.  Top with brandy-laced (1 tbsp) whipped cream and a small strawberry with stem.

Adult ice cream sodas

Combine chocolate syrup, chocolate ice cream, brandy (1.5 oz), milk (1/4 cup), and some Schweppes Club Soda in high ball glasses. Blend or stir vigorously.

Chocolate truffles

• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup 35% cream
• 1 cup semi sweet chocolate
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons rum, scotch or coffee liqueur
• cocoa powder

1. Melt the chocolate, butter and cream together over medium low heat.
2. When mixture is smooth, remove from heat and stir in egg yolk and alcohol.
3. Chill in refrigerator for eight hours.
4. Roll mixture into small balls and then toss into cocoa powder.
5. Refrigerate for up to five days.

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Chocolate Biscotti

• 1 ¼ cup all purpose flour
• ½ cup cocoa powder ( sifted)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• ¾ cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons coffee liqueur
• ¼ cup melted butter
• ½ cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• ½ cup white chocolate chips

1. Mix the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and both kinds of chocolate chips together.
2. In a separate bowl, mix together he eggs, sugar, melted butter and coffee liqueur. Add the flour mixture and stir together.
3. Separate the dough into two sections. Roll the dough out into a long, thin log and place on a cookie sheet. Repeat with the other half of the dough.
4. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, remove pan from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
5. Transfer the logs onto a large cutting board and slice diagonally into ¾ inch pieces. ( You should get 24 pieces)
6. Return the cookies to the baking sheet and bake for another 15 – 20 minutes. Let biscotti cool on a wire rack.

Chocolate Mousse Cake

Base

• 2 cups pecans
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter

Chocolate layer

•  ½ cup 35% cream
• 1/ cup semi sweet chocolate

Mousse

• 1 cup 35% cream
• 1 cup semi sweet chocolate
• 2 cups 35 % cream
• 1 tablespoon rum

1. To make the base; crush the pecans in a food processor with the sugar and butter
2. Press into a 81/2 inch spring form pan
3. Bake at 350’ for 8 minutes.
4. Let cool

To make the chocolate layer; melt the cream and chocolate over low heat until smooth.

1. Spread over pecan layer and let cool in the refrigerator.
2. To make the mousse; melt 1 cup cream with 1 cup chocolate. Remove from heat and stir in rum. Let cool.
3. Whip the 2 cups of cream until stiff and gently fold into the chocolate mixture. Pour into spring form pan and refrigerate at least one hour before serving.
4. Garnish with grated white or dark chocolate.

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