What We Ate: Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is one of those holidays that can be different every year. Last year Matt had a gig and we cooked pasta with his family afterwards, the year before we had a three course meal and dancing. This year Matt found some of my Christmas money stashed in a drawer, I bought a gorgeous cookbook called Limoncello and Linen Water by Tessa Kiros and we made this a simple, but beautiful meal sprinkling flowers on our filet and berries on our bread. 

Menu 

Filet 

cooked in cognac, olive oil and butter, topped with homemade rose salt

New potatoes 

also dressed in olive oil and butter with sprigs of lemon thyme

Rocket salad

with a simple olive oil balsamic vinegar dressing with a dash of honey

Focaccia 

sweetened with strawberries and raspberries

Rose Petal Salt

(inspired by Limoncello and Linen Water from Tessa Kiros)

Himalayan Salt
Dried rose petals

Go on a treasure hunt to find some lovely rock crystals. Pink Himalayan ones are the prize, but don't despair with the white ones - they can be just as pretty.  Then gather your dried roses, (or any other dried culinary flower) in a heaped tablespoon. Gently press the petals in a mortar and pestle to bring out their essence.  Sweep out the petals into a separate bowl to blend with the salt later. In the mortar add 2 1/2 tablespoons of rock crystals per every heaped tablespoon of roses and break them up into big and smalls granules. Combine the two right away and set on your dining room table for a beautiful alternative to a typical bouquet. Give a stir in between long uses.  For variety add dried herbs like rosemary or thyme.

Strawberry Roses and Salted Chocolate Sauce

Salted Chocolate Sauce

1 cup dark chocolate bar chopped (150 g)

3/4 cup cream (175 ml)

1 tsp vanilla extract 

1/4 tsp sea salt

1. In a small pot melt the chocolate, cream, and vanilla together on medium-low heat. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon until thoroughly blended.  2. Stir in salt. 3. Serve immediately or alternatively store in an airtight container. Reheat in a pot on medium-low and if the oil separates to the top add a little more cream to bring the sauce back together.  

How to Cut a Strawberry into a Rose

pairing knife

2 punnets of strawberries

bamboo skewers

1. Clean the strawberry and gently dry it with a towel. 2. Carefully pull down the leaves away from the skin and insert a bamboo skewer next to the stem. 3. At the base make four horizontal cuts around each side.  Gently fan the section out with your knife by slightly pulling back to make a petal.  4. Begin a second row behind the first and repeat process, this time make the cuts a little smaller.  *You can make the roses for a bouquet in advance. Just arrange the roses in a vase (I trimmed an inch off some of the skewers to give a more full look to the bouquet).  Put in the refrigerator and cover over top with plastic wrap. Bring out to room temperature before serving.