Wednesday, March 20, 2002

Suggestions for a perfect romantic dinner

While you may not be expecting diamonds, roses or Chanel No. 5 just any day of the week, there's no reason you can't cook-up a little culinary romance any time. According to the chef instructors for The Art Institutes Culinary Arts programs, with a little thought, creative ambiance and a few make-ahead preparations, a romantic dinner for two can be yours.

For Chef Frank Lima, an instructor with the New York Restaurant School of The Art Institutes, food is poetry and poetry is food. Chef Lima is not only a former White House assistant chef during the Kennedy Administration, but a first runner-up for Poet Laureate of Queens, New York.

As Chef Lima explains it, "Poetry and cooking are so similar they're both about feeling and aesthetics."

The two are so intertwined, in fact, that Chef Lima named his cream of roasted red pepper soup Creme Kukhla Moo ("my doll" in Greek). In addition to soup, which Chef Lima garnishes with crumbled feta cheese and fresh dill, he also likes ceviche with Champagne salsa lobster, shrimp and sea scallops marinated in fresh lime juice and garnished with cilantro and capers. Both the soup and ceviche can be made a day ahead and refrigerated.

As a main course, it's salmon Vera Cruz, a roasted salmon filet with jalapeno and mole chocolate sauce. Dessert is the poetic high point of this romantic menu: Strawberries romanoff with orange dust.

For Chef Francis Jacquinet, a chef instructor with The Art Institute of Houston, ambiance and menu are equally important to achieve a perfect romantic meal. He suggests serving dinner "by the fireplace, or candle lit. Adorn the table with a single or bouquet of red roses. Take your phone off the hook, and play your companion's favorite music."

Chef Jacquinet starts with a spring green salad with red wine vinaigrette. Follow that with a retro favorite Swiss cheese fondue. Shallots, garlic, white wine and cherry brandy can be purchased ahead of time, along with a French baguette and a lovely, sparkling chilled wine. To finish, dip a few long-stemmed strawberries in melted chocolate.

Married but still Valentines, chef instructors Peter and Pamela Babcock of The Art Institute of Ft. Lauderdale, take a duet approach to their ideal dinner for two. Having successfully combined marriage and culinary careers for 10 years, the chefs complement each other perfectly when designing a romantic meal.

"We both like a lot of color, texture and flavor so for this menu, we've combined some of our favorites," says Chef Pamela Babcock.

They begin with a cream of carrot soup, followed by baby greens with poached pears and stilton crostini. For the main course, broiled salmon steak with chardonnay sauce. Finally, for dessert the chefs recommend banana pineapple strudel.

For a perfect accompaniment, the chefs recommend a Veuve Clicquot. According to Chef Peter Babcock, the key to enjoying a romantic meal is to create a simple, delicious dinner that lets you spend as much time as possible with your loved one.

"No matter how wonderful the food, you don't want to spend the evening waving from the kitchen. You want to be where your heart is that's where the romance comes in," he says.

Many of these recipes can be found on The Art Institutes' Web site at www.artinstitutes.edu. The Art Institutes' system of 24 education institutions is located nationwide, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary professionals.

The Art Institutes system of schools has provided career-oriented academic programs for 40 years, with more than 125,000 graduates. For more information, call (888) 328-7900 or visit The Art Institutes Web site at www.artinstitutes.edu/nz.

Strawberries Romanoff with Orange Dust

from Chef Frank Lima, The New York Restaurant School

Hull one pint of strawberries; wash and pat dry. Whip one pint of cream to stiff peaks. While cream is at the soft peak stage, gradually add 1/4 cup superfine sugar and one teaspoon vanilla extract and whip until stiff peaks form. Keep on ice or well chilled. Before serving, fold 2 teaspoons of Grand Marnier into whipped cream. Place 4 to 6 strawberries in a glass bowl, top with whipped cream and sprinkle with orange dust.

Orange Dust

With a sharp vegetable peeler, peel the zest of two bright oranges. Slice the zest into 1/8-inch sticks (julienne). Place the julienned zest in a two-quart saucepan with 1/4cup sugar and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil and then simmer, 20 minutes or until tender. Remove zest with a fork and place on a cookie sheet covered with parchment. Roll zest in one cup sugar until cool. Do not remove from sheet pan and place in a 250-degree oven until sugar crystallizes. Remove from oven; let cool. Place crystallized zest in a food processor with one cup sugar. Pulverize. Store in dry container.

All recipes that follow are from Chefs Peter and Pamela Babcock, The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale

Cream of Carrot Soup with Ginger

3 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced

4 ounces whole butter

4 teaspoons of sugar

1/2 cup rice, jasmine or basmati preferred

2 1/2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock

2 teaspoons fresh ginger

1 cup heavy cream, scalded

Cook the carrots with butter, sugar and rice over medium heat until carrots begin to soften. Add broth and bring to a simmer. When rice is tender, add the fresh ginger and let simmer five more minutes. Puree the solids using a food mill, hand blender or food processor. Whisk the hot cream into the soup, and bring the soup back to a simmer. Keep the soup hot in a bain marie, covered with a lid. Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream, julienne of candied ginger and carrot.

Mixed Baby Greens with Poached Pears and Stilton Crostini

4 pears (your choice), peeled and halved

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup orange juice

1 cup burgundy

1 cup port (ruby)

1/2 pound brown sugar

2 cinnamon sticks

3 cloves

1 star anise

3 white peppercorns

Bring liquid to a boil. Add pears and simmer gently, covered, until tender. Let cool in liquid. Pour into clean container. Cut long and thin from stem to blossom. Press down onto plate to fan out.

Stilton Crostini

1/2 cup stilton, room temperature (any bleu cheese is okay)

2 tablespoons soft sweet butter

Combine these two ingredients until spreadable. Spread on thinly sliced and toasted French bread. Serves two with salad.

Broiled Salmon Steaks with Chardonnay Sauce

Salmon steaks

Salt, pepper, lemon juice, all to season the fish

Enough olive oil to brush on the fish before broiling

Preheat the broiler. Season the fish with fresh lemon juice (just a little squeeze for each filet), then sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Place fish onto broiler pan. Brush lightly with olive oil and place under broiler until fish is golden brown and cooked through (about six minutes each side). Serve with fresh vegetables (asparagus or broccoli) and a rice pilaf or couscous.

Chardonnay Sauce

1/2 cup chardonnay

2 shallots, finely minced

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 pound soft whole butter

Reduce wine, shallots and vinegar by half. Add in cream and reduce by 1/2 again. Mixture should be rather thick. Let cool slightly. Using a whisk, add the soft butter so that it incorporates. Season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with a little lemon zest and some snipped chives.

Banana Pineapple Strudel

4 sheets phyllo dough

melted butter

cinnamon

sugar

bread crumbs (plain)

4 bananas

3 ounces chopped pineapple

Place first sheet of phyllo on work surface. Brush with melted butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Place second layer of phyllo on top, brush with butter, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Pat down. Follow same procedure for third and fourth layers. Sprinkle bread crumbs and cinnamon sugar on the end quarter of the dough sheets. Place bananas on top. Arrange chopped pineapples in between spaces. Dust with more bread crumbs and sugar. Roll the strudel as tightly as you can, making sure to fold in the edges. Brush outside with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Score into eighths, and bake in a moderate oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

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