Romantic Dinner for Two Recipes

Any night is a good night for romance with a little planning and some romantic dinner for two recipes. Cooking up an intimate dinner using romantic recipes is sure to set the mood and bring some passion to the table. Part of what makes a romantic meal romantic is the rich flavors of the foods served. Keep this in mind when gathering your recipes.

Prosciutto Wrapped Cantaloupe Balls

Start your meal with a dish that features a balance of saltiness and sweetness, combined with texture and color. This appetizer is one of the tastiest you can find, and a great way to begin a romantic dinner. It is a classic appetizer that is easy to make, fun to eat, and delicious.

Ingredients

• 1 medium-sized cantaloupe
• 1/4 pound thinly sliced prosciutto

Instructions

1. Cut the cantaloupe in half and remove the seeds.
2. Use a melon baller to make as many melon balls as you can from one half of the melon.
3. Wrap the prosciutto slices around the melon ball, securing them with a toothpick.
4. Place the balls on a plate and, once you have all the melon balls made, cover the plate with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
5. Serve cold.

Salad Niçoise

Nothing is as romantic as a French salad. The salad Niçoise is a spectacular salad that looks as good as it tastes.

Ingredients

• 1 medium-sized red potato
• 8 green beans, trimmed
• 2 cups butter leaf lettuce (about 1 small head), washed
• 7 ounces of tuna (light meat packed in oil is good, as is seared, fresh tuna)
• 1 Roma tomato, cut into quarters
• 1/4 small red onion, sliced thinly and the rings separated
• 4 anchovy fillets
• 2 hard boiled eggs, quartered
• 8 Niçoise olives
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Steam the potato for 8-10 minutes and add the green beans for the last five minutes.
2. Let the potato and beans cool to room temperature.
3. Arrange the lettuce leaves on two plates.
4. Arrange the ingredients on the lettuce in any arrangement that pleases you.
5. Mix the olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper together and drizzle on the salad.

Fig and Blue Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

For this appetizer recipe, it's best to buy rather large mushrooms. You will be taking the stem off of the mushroom and stuffing the filling into the cap. Look for mushrooms that have caps at least 1-1/2 inches across. To clean the mushrooms, don't run them under water, which makes them soggy. Instead, wipe away any dirt with a dry paper towel or a dry mushroom brush.

Ingredients

• 12 mushrooms, cleaned with stems removed
• 8-10 black mission figs
• 6-8 ounces blue cheese
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs (might not be needed)
• 1-1/2 cups Marsala wine
• Ground pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

1. Trim the stems off the figs and cut the figs into quarters.
2. Place the figs into a food processor and pulse until the figs are well chopped.
3. Add the blue cheese and pulse until well blended.
4. Add pepper to taste; the cheese will add salt to the mixture.
5. The mixture should be the consistency of dough. If it seems a bit heavy or too thick, add breadcrumbs a little at a time while pulsing your processor.
6. Coat the bottom of a roasting pan with the oil.
7. Place the mushrooms into the pan, cap-side down.
8. Stuff the mushrooms with the fig and blue cheese mixture.
9. Pour the wine over the mushrooms and place into a 325 degree oven for 30-40 minutes.
10. Serve warm.

You can make these the night before; just store them in your refrigerator covered with plastic wrap. When ready to cook, place them into the oiled roasting pan and splash with wine.

Filet Mignon

While a nice rare steak might not look romantic, its flavor and aroma is a delight for all the senses. This recipe is written for a filet mignon, but you can use any steak that happens to please you most. Porterhouse is a nice choice, but they tend to be large; it would be a bit more of a process to cook two using a pan method, unless you have two pans.

Ingredients

• 2 filet mignon steaks
• Vegetable oil
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 2 medium shallots, minced
• 3/4 cup dry red wine
• 1/2 cup beef stock
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 4 tablespoons butter, room temperature

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Rub the filets with vegetable oil, salt, and pepper.
3. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
4. Using the largest regular (not non-stick) pan you have, place over a medium-high flame until very hot
5. Place the filets in the pan and do not move them for at least two minutes.
6. Flip the steaks over and cook for another two minutes.
7. Place the pan into your oven and cook four minutes.
8. Test for doneness using an instant read thermometer. Medium rare is between 130 and 140 degrees.
9. Remove the pan from the oven and place the filets on a plate.
10. Tent with a piece of foil.
11. Place the pan over a medium flame and add the butter and shallots to the pan.
12. Cook until the shallots are soft.
13. Turn the heat to high and add the wine.
14. Using a silicon spatula or wooden spoon, scrape any brown bits off the pan as the wine reduces.
15. Add the stock.
16. Cook until the liquid has reduced by half.
17. Turn down the flame to medium and whisk in the vinegar and mustard.
18. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches a sauce-like consistency.
19. Serve the filets with the sauce.
20. Serve with any potato and vegetable desired.

Seared Duck Breast with Cherry Sauce

This simple recipe is delicious when served with rice or a simple spinach salad.

Ingredients

• 2 duck breasts, skin on
• Olive oil
• Salt and fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 15 fresh or frozen Bing cherries, pitted
• 1 shallot, finely minced
• 1/2 cup very cold butter, cut into cubes

Instructions

1. Score the skin of the duck breast in a criss-cross pattern.
2. Place duck breasts between two layers of plastic wrap or parchment and pound breasts to 1/2 inch thickness.
3. Add salt and fresh pepper to the duck breast.
4. Preheat a small amount of olive oil in a pan over medium-low heat.
5. Add the duck breasts, skin side down.
6. Sear the duck breasts until the fat has rendered and the skin is brown and crispy - about 10 minutes.
7. Turn up the heat to medium-high and flip the duck breasts. Cook for another three to four minutes.
8. Remove the duck from the pan and set aside, tented with foil.
9. Pour stock into the hot pan, making sure to scrape all of the browned bits from the pan with a wooden spoon.
10. Add the shallots and cherries.
11. Simmer until the sauce is reduced and coats the back of a spoon.
12. Slowly, one cube at a time, whisk the butter into the sauce until it is emulsified.
13. Slice the duck breasts diagonally and arrange on a plate.
14. Pour the sauce over the breasts. Serve immediately.

Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb

This easy lamb dish is delicious served with mashed potatoes.

Ingredients

• 1 rack of lamb, frenched
• Salt and fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
• 6 cloves garlic

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
2. Score the skin of the lamb in a criss-cross pattern.
3. Lightly season both sides of the rack of lamb with salt and fresh cracked pepper, and place the lamb on a rack set over a cookie sheet, skin side up.
4. Combine parsley, thyme, and garlic in a food processor and pulse until the herbs and garlic are finely chopped.
5. Pulse in the bread crumbs.
6. Pulse in the butter.
7. Take butter and herb mixture and press on top of the skin side of the rack of lamb.
8. Roast the lamb for 25 to 30 minutes - until the temperature of the lamb registers 135 on an instant-read thermometer.
9. Allow lamb to stand at room temperature for 15 minutes, and then slice into double chops to serve.

Chicken Cacciatore

This one pot meal is great for romantic dinners because it is flavorful, colorful, and fast from the pot to the table. Serve with some quickly sautéed asparagus and you will have your romantic dinner on the table before the last appetizer is eaten.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• 2 medium onions, rough chopped
• 1 celery stalk, rough chopped
• 1 large carrot, rough chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, julienned
• 1 yellow bell pepper, julienned
• 1/2 cup of white wine
• 2 cups canned diced tomatoes
• 6 basil leaves, sliced thinly
• 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped fine
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet that also has a lid.
2. Rinse and dry your chicken.
3. Brown the chicken on all sides. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside on a platter, tented with foil.
4. Drain most, but not all, of the fat from the pan. You want to keep about three tablespoons of the fat.
5. Sautée the vegetables in the fat until they start to brown.
6. Put the chicken back into the pan with the veggies.
7. Add the wine and bring to a simmer.
8. Add the tomatoes, herbs, and salt and pepper to taste.
9. Bring to a simmer.
10. Cover and let simmer for about 20 minutes or until the chicken is done.
11. Serve over the pasta of your choice.

Enjoy Your Romantic Dinner for Two

Music, lighting, and table setting have as much to do with setting the romantic mood as the food. The more attention you pay to the details of the atmosphere, the more romantic your dinner will be. Don't forget the dessert; prepare it the day before so you are not breaking the mood pulling together the sweets.