Like no other “holiday”, it’s been our experience that people have strong opinions regarding Valentine’s Day. Some love it and relish in the idea of cards and conversation hearts while others stress about it, feeling that if they don’t have that special someone to make googley eyes at on February 14th, then they’ve somehow failed in life. Then there are those that would prefer to ignore it all together and consider it just another day.
Maybe we’re romantics at heart or just like an excuse to celebrate something, but we like Valentine’s Day and think that there’s more to it than just a commercially driven holiday for lovers. Velvet heart-shaped boxes of chocolates and long stem roses aside, we like to believe that it’s a day to honor passion and love, not just within the relationships that we have but, instead, it’s more of a gentle reminder to incorporate these strong emotions into our everyday lives.
The most honest and sincere way that we can think of to celebrate love is through food and to be honest, it’s our passion for making people happy through food that led us to a career as a Personal Chef. There’s just something about taking raw ingredients and transforming, by way of your own two hands and a little creativity, into something special. Sure, it’s a very thoughtful gesture to book a reservation at a local restaurant but nothing says “I care” more than creating something personal. Whether you’re planning to spend this Tuesday with family, friends, a significant other or just yourself, why not set aside even a little bit of time to tie an apron around your waste and head to your kitchen?
You don’t have to be a professional chef to create a memorable meal; all it takes is a couple of ingredients and just a bit of time. Even if you consider yourself kitchen illiterate, fear not, we’ve got a couple of recipes that are sure to help make your day special. Just remember, no matter who you’re cooking for, have fun, relax and get caught up in the passion that is cooking.
Stuffed Peppers Bolognese
Makes 2 stuffed peppers with extra bulgur
– 2 peppers
– 1 1/2 cups Bulgur Wheat
– 3 cups water
– 2 cups Bolognese sauce
– Salt to taste
– Cheddar cheese for topping
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Carefully carve out the top of the pepper, where the stem is, and remove the seeds while keeping the pepper in tact. Bake on a cookie sheet until the peppers soften, about 20-25 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small pot, bring the bulgur wheat, water and a generous pinch of salt to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the bulgur is tender (about 30 minutes). Special note: if you notice that the bulgur has absorbed all of the water and is still not cooked, just add a bit more.
Once the bulgur is cooked, stir in the sauce and fill peppers with the bulgur-sauce mixture. Top with cheese and bake again for another 15 minutes or until the cheese melts. Serve immediately on top of a pile of extra bulgur.
Lemon-Blueberry Pudding Cake
– 1 Angel Food Cake (Store bought is just fine)
– Blueberry-Lemon pudding (recipe below)
– Blueberry Sauce (recipe below)
– Fresh Blueberries to garnish
Cut the Angel Food cake in half lengthwise. Spread the blueberry-lemon pudding evenly over one side of the angel food cake. Top with other half of angel food cake and chill for an at least half an hour. When ready to serve, slice the the angel food cake into pieces and drizzle blueberry sauce over the cake. Garnish with fresh blueberries.
Lemon-Blueberry Pudding and Sauce
– 1 quart fresh blueberries
– 1 lemon, zested and juice reserved
– 3 egg yolks
– 1 cup whole milk, heated until a little hotter than room temperature
– 1 tsp vanilla
– 4 1/2 TBS sugar + 1/4 cup
– 2 1/2 TBS Flour
– Pinch of Salt
To make the blueberry sauce: In a saucepan on medium heat, simmer the blueberries plus 1/4 cup sugar, zest and lemon juice until the juices have released and the mixture gets very sauce-like. Remove pan from heat and run blueberry lemon mixture through a mesh strainer. Set aside to let cool.
To make the blueberry-lemon pudding: In a sauce pan and on low heat, combine the egg yolks and 4 1/2 TBS sugar and beat with a whisk until the mixture has incorporated and becomes thick. Add the warm milk gradually, beating the whole time so it doesn’t scramble the eggs. Mix in the flour and gently stir the mixture of medium heat until it becomes very thick. Once it starts to bubble, keep stirring and remove from the heat after about a minute. Run the mixture immediately through a fine mesh strainer. Gradually pour in half of the blueberry sauce and stir to combine. Reserve the other half for topping.
Contributed by Chefs Richard Chudy and Katie Barszcz of The Skinny Beet. A native Bostonian, Richard Chudy graduated from the Professional Chef’s Program at the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts in 2007 and started a private chef business. When he’s not busy in the kitchen, he runs Boston Burger Blog, his ongoing quest for the perfect burger in Boston. Katie started her blog, The Small Boston Kitchen, in December of 2009 as a way to document her hours spent in the kitchen, as well as her eating adventures throughout the Greater Boston area. In January 2011, Katie attended the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts, where she received her Culinary Certificate. Katie co-owns a personal chef and catering business, The Skinny Beet
