Every Day is Valentine’s Day
Every day is Valentine’s Day when you’ve got Love in your heart. Whether or not, you have a Special Other to join you in celebrating Valentine’s day, why not create a party just for yourself? When it comes to finding the Love of Your Life, he/she may be closer than you think. Look inside your heart. You may be surprised to find that all the Love you need is right there looking back at you in the mirror.
We’re much more likely to draw our Love Partner to us if we first cultivate a deep, accepting love for ourselves. One way to do that is to nurture yourself, as if you are hosting an honorable guest. On Valentine’s Day, which, by the way, is my favorite holiday, I pop open a bottle of bubbly and create a grand meal, whether I’m with another, or by myself. I’m going to share with you one of my favorite romantic dinner menus.
For the basic ingredients, you’ll need fresh halibut, bok choy, capers, lemons, and white wine (cheap stuff is fine, this is not for drinking!). We’ll serve our “Pan Fried Halibut with Capers” on a bed of sautéed bok choy, and alongside oven roasted gold and sweet potatoes. In the spirit of Love, I like to add heart shaped, red bell pepper to this main dish. A fresh, green salad with the addition of apples, berries, and caramelized pecans, drizzled with raspberry dressing will happily accompany the entree. I paired this delightful main dish with a wonderful, local San Diego white wine blend from Salerno Winery – Bianco Tosto 2007. Our romantic dinner wouldn’t be complete without a decadent desert. You’re going to love my tasty chocolate Fudge topped with red candy, shaped into a heart. (Recipes are below.)
So, this Valentine’s Day, and everyday, celebrate the Love you have in your heart for yourself, and watch how others are drawn to your beauty that radiates from within.
And if you feel like joining others on Valentine’s Day, we have wonderful romantic tours. Come as a single or bring a friend.
Shira Bliss, La Jolla Wine Tours.
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 10 oz halibut pieces
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 Tbs Italian parsley chopped
- 1/4 lemon juiced
- 4 chopped spring onion (green only)
- 3 tablespoons capers, with liquid
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the halibut on both sides until nicely browned. Remove from pan, and set aside. Sauté the bok choy in a little butter set aside.Pour the wine into the pan, and use a spatula to scrape any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce to almost nothing, then stir in the garlic, lemon juice, butter and capers. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let the sauce simmer for a minute to blend the flavors. Return the fish to the pan, and coat them with sauce. Cook until fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve fish immediately with the sauce from the pan poured over it, on top of the cooked bok choy.
Oven Fried Gold and Sweet Potatoes
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2 tablespoons olive oil
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2 gold potatoes and 2 sweet potatoes sliced thinly
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2 large cloves garlic, chopped
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Parsley, marjoram
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Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Coat the potatoes with parsley, marjoram, olive oil, salt and pepper and freshly chopped garlic. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 mins. Turn once halfway through.
Valentine’s Fudge
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6 tablespoons butter
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3 1/2 cups powdered (confectioners) sugar or agave
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1/2 cup cocoa
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1 tsp vanilla extract
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1/4 cup milk
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1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Directions:
Lightly grease a 5×9 inch loaf pan using a little of the margarine. Place the remaining butter, sugar, cocoa, vanilla and soy milk in a heatproof mixing bowl or the upper part of a double broiler. Place the bowl or broiler over simmering water and stir until smooth. Add the nuts if desired. Pour the mixture quickly into the prepared pan. Chill thoroughly, and cut into squares. Decorate with red candies into the shape of a heart. For a great pairing try San Diego’s Witchcreek Winery Cool Cat sparkling wine!
Makes 2 to 3 dozen squares.