For Valentine’s Day, we decided to cook dinner at home instead of the usual going out to eat that a lot of couples tend to do. We tested our hand at making a full 3 course meal with a wine pairing included. Here is what we made!
Our first course was an easy Burrata Cheese with roasted Cherry tomatoes and balsamic glaze. We paired this course with Kendall-Jackson 2023 Chardonnay.
Aaron: I think this was a good appetizer. This dish gives the vibes of fine dinning restaurant appetizers. The balsamic glaze was what put it all together and made it a complete appetizer. The Chardonnay is a nice paring that brings out the flavor in the roasted tomatoes, I would give this a solid 9/10
Donna: This was a solid starter in my opinion. The creaminess of the Burrata cheese paired with the acidity of the tomatoes and balsamic vinegar glaze comes together very nicely and the chopped basil kept it light and fresh. And when you take a sip of the Chardonnay you get a light crisp taste. I would rate it 8/10.
Our second course was Lamb Chops with a Zinfandel Wine Reduction sauce, we decided to go with Roasted Vegetables as a side dish but mashed potatoes and/or Brussel sprouts are also good alternatives. We paired this course with the Doffo Winery Zinfandel red wine.
Aaron: The herbs marinade that we used to cook with the lamb made it all delicious. For our first time cooking lamb chops we did a bomb ass job. The red wine reduction brings some subtle sweetness to the well seasoned lamb, and the wine went pretty well with the course. I would give this a 9/10
Donna: I agree with Aaron, that marinade was marinade-ing. It not only helped to season the chops but I believe it kept the chops nice and juicy throughout the cooking process. The wine reduction was like the icing on the cake only enhancing the flavors. I would rate this a 9/10.
Our third and final course was sweet Dubai Chocolate Covered Strawberries. We had a hard time finding Kataifi to bring this dish together but if you have a Mediterranean market or a Cermak, you can find this in the freezer section. We paired this course with Kendall-Jackson 2023 Chardonnay
Aaron: I’m big on dessert and think this was a good one. It was my first time having pistachio butter and I wasn’t disappointed. I don’t think the Chardonnay paired well with the dessert, it wasn’t bad but it’s not something I’ll revisit. I would give this dessert and 8/10. It was sweet, but a little too sweet for my teeth to handle.
Donna: Aaron has more of a sweet tooth than myself but this dish wasn’t bad. Not sure if we used too much chocolate but it was very sweet in my opinion. Still, I did enjoy it and really enjoyed the Kataifi giving it texture and crunch. And again I must agree with Aaron. I did not enjoy the Chardonnay with this dessert. I would give this a 7.5/10.
This 3 course dinner was flavorful and easy to make. If you look below you will see the ingredients list and instructions on how we made these dishes. Check back again for more blog posts.
Recipes and Ingredients:
Appetizer: Burrata with Roasted Tomatoes & Balsamic Glaze
Ingredients
- 1 ball of burrata cheese
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
- 2 tbsp balsamic glaze (store-bought or homemade)
- Toasted crostini or baguette slices
Instructions
- Roast the Tomatoes
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Toss the halved tomatoes with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Spread them out on a baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes until soft and slightly caramelized
- Assemble the Dish
- Place the burrata on a serving plate.
- Spoon the warm roasted tomatoes around the burrata.
- Drizzle with balsamic glaze and sprinkle fresh basil on top.
Garlic Herb Crusted Lamb Chops with Red Wine Reduction
Ingredients
- 6 lamb chops
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
For the Red Wine Reduction
- 1 cup Zinfandel wine
- ½ cup beef broth
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
- ½ tsp honey (optional, to balance acidity)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Marinate the Lamb
- In a bowl, mix olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.
- Rub the mixture over the lamb chops and let them marinate for at least 30 minutes (or overnight for deeper flavor).
- Cook the Lamb Chops
- Heat a cast-iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat.
- Sear the lamb chops for about 3-4 minutes per side (for medium-rare) or until they reach your desired doneness.
- Let the lamb rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Make the Red Wine Reduction
- In the same pan, add the chopped shallot and garlic. Sauté for 1-2 minutes.
- Pour in the Zinfandel wine, beef broth, rosemary, and honey.
- Simmer for about 10-15 minutes, until the sauce reduces by half.
- Stir in the butter and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve
- Plate the lamb chops and drizzle with the red wine reduction.
- Serve with Roasted Vegetables or your favorite side dish.
Dubai Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Ingredients
- Fresh Strawberries
- Kataifi
- Your Favorite Chocolate
- Pistachio Butter
- Unsalted Butter
Instructions
- Clean and cut your strawberries to your liking.
- It can half’s, fourths, this is all preference.
- Cut your Kataifi into small pieces.
- In a pan, melt 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter and cook your Kataifi until golden brown.
- Melt your chocolate and pistachio butter in microwave or pot.
- Assemble your dessert in your desired plate, cup, etc
- Layer dessert to your preference.
- Basic layering: Kataifi > Strawberries > Drizzle Chocolate > Drizzle Pistachio Butter > Repeat
- Layer dessert to your preference.
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