Romantic Lenten dinner for two for Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day falls during Lent this year, but that shouldn’t keep you from making a romantic dinner for you and your honey. One of the following fish dishes will look and taste great by candlelight.
Since Mexican avocados and Florida strawberries are in season right now, combine them in a beautiful and tasty salad for a perfect accompaniment to either dish. Follow with a light dessert such as ice cream or gelato.
Roast Cod with Potatoes and Olives
•1 lemon, sliced thin
•2 sprigs fresh thyme
•8 pimento-stuffed green olives
•8 small red potatoes
•2 cod fillets
•1 tablespoon olive oil
•1/4 teaspoon sea salt
•1/8 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place lemon slices in a single layer on a large roasting or baking pan. Lay thyme sprigs over lemons and sprinkle with olives. Halve each potato, and cook in a small amount of water until just tender, about 10 minutes. Drain potatoes and scatter around edge of pan.
Place fillets on lemon and drizzle olive oil over fish and potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to oven, reduce temperature to 325 degrees, and roast until fish is cooked through, about 25 minutes. Serve fish with potatoes and olives.
Honey-Soy Salmon with Jasmine Rice
•1/4 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar
•2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
•1/3 cup light soy sauce
•1/3 cup honey
•2 to 3 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce
•1 tablespoon Chinese or Dijon mustard
•1 skin-on salmon fillet
•4-ounce shiitake mushrooms
•1 red bell pepper
•1 bunch green onions
•1 cup jasmine rice, cooked according to directions
•Toasted sesame seeds
Heat oven to 475 degrees. Stir together 3 tablespoons vinegar, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, soy sauce, and next three ingredients; set aside 1/2 cup of sauce to use with rice.
Place salmon, skin side down, on a large parchment lined rimmed baking sheet. Brush with 2 tablespoons soy mixture. Bake salmon at 475 degrees for 8 minutes. Toss mushrooms and next two ingredients with 1 tablespoon of soy mixture. Scatter vegetables around fish in hot pan and brush fish with soy mixture. Bake 8 to 10 more minutes or until desired degree of doneness and vegetables are just tender.
Prepare rice according to package directions. Stir rice and remaining 1 tablespoon each of vinegar and sesame oil in a serving bowl; season with salt and pepper to taste. Lift fish from skin with two large spatulas and transfer to a platter with vegetables; sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve with rice and reserved 1/2 cup sauce.
Avocado and Strawberry Salad
•11/2 tablespoons lemon juice
•11/2 tablespoons honey
•11/2 tablespoons olive oil
•1/8 teaspoon sea salt
•1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
•3 ounces spring lettuce mix
•1 avocado
•4 ounces strawberries, sliced
Whisk the lemon juice, honey, olive oil, salt and pepper together. Arrange lettuce, avocados and strawberries on 2 large salad plates. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the fruit salad. Serve immediately.