After my husband’s surgery for an aortic aneurysm, I wanted to make our Valentine dinner something special. This year, I went all out.
Lobster is the perennial choice for our dinner. Nothing says extravagant and special occasion like lobster. I’ve done steamed lobster, which is divine, of course. I’ve done Epicurious’s Lobster Crisps in Champagne-Dill Sauce which I can highly recommend. This is an amazing dish that takes lobster to a whole new level as well as your culinary skills. This year, I wanted to expand my skills.
We started off with the delightful Herbes de Provence oven-roasted tomato roses-cucumber bites with Chèvre. They were easy to make, made the house good, and were a treat to eat. Next, I did spring greens salad with a simple balsamic vinaigrette. This part of the meal was healthy, with plenty of fresh vegetables. The main course was pure decadence.
I have found conflicting stories regarding the origin of Lobster Thermidor. It is French with a maybe association with Napolean. It is truly a work of love. Not that it is difficult; the recipe came together quite nicely. I used all the “bad” ingredients like butter and cream. The lobster was probably the healthiest part about it. I served it with a Risotto alla Milanese.
Doing both of these recipes is not for the faint-of-heart. If you want to do two recipes at one time which require constant attention, these are the two to try. That will definitely test you. However, the results were out of this world, if I do say so myself. It was pure heaven. When my husband closes his eyes as he savors each bite, I know that I’m on the right track. Serving the lobster in the shells was such a treat and a wonderful presentation. Yes, I do plate our dishes for most meals. Presentation is very important to me. And yes, we have no kids.
Valentine’s Day was a special event and so much more meaningful when life has given you a reminder about how precious it is. For this day and every day, I will remember how lucky we are to have each other. Life is too short for it to be any other way.
Photo by Jarda Malek
