VALENTINE’S DINNER FOR TWO: SECOND ACT

Posted in Poultry, Salads by

As I mentioned in my previous post, I am doing a series of collaborative Valentine’s Day posts with Jamie, from Cooking in Red Socks. Go check her site for a great recipe this morning:  Cherry and Pecan Stuffed Endive… She pointed out that in cocktail parties the food served is not always user-friendly. So true!  I often find myself in serious trouble, trying to negotiate a glass of wine with a meatball that definitely needs to be cut in half or else… Her stuffed endive is classy, elegant, and perfect to enjoy while having a great conversation with your friends.  No fear of that chicken wing flying off and landing on the guest of honor. 😉

And now, it is time to share my choice of main dish, a recipe that I’ve been wanting to make for a long time. It was featured in one of my favorite food blogs, Elra’s Cooking. Her recipes have that aura that put me into a dreamy mode, they always bring together exotic spices, long-simmered, complex sauces, and her photography is simply superb! Cornish hens turn any meal into a festive occasion, so they seem perfect for a romantic meal.

Valentine Day Cornish Hens

FRAGRANT BAKED CORNISH HENS WITH APRICOT SAUCE
(adapted from Elra’s Cooking)
.
2 (3 lbs) cornish hens
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
1 small garlic, minced
24 dried apricot
¼ cup golden raisins
2 cinnamon sticks
1 whole star anise
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground cumin
1-2 tbsp orange flower water (I omitted, could not find it)
¼-½ tsp saffron threads, soaked in 2 tbsp hot water
½ cup chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste
chopped parsley
a handful of slivered almonds
.
Heat oven to 375 F.

Saute shallot over medium heat until translucent, add minced garlic, dried apricot, raisins, cinnamon sticks, star anise, ground ginger, ground cumin, saffron water, and the chicken.  Stir to mix the ingredients, season with salt and pepper. As soon as it starts to boil, turn the stove off, add the parsley, mix, and let this mixture cool completely.
.
Clean, and cut the hens into quarters. Pat dry with paper towels. Arrange them neatly on an oven proof ceramic dish. Pour the apricot-spice mixture directly on the hens, turning to coat each of the pieces with this mixture, then arrange them back with the skin side up. Transfer to the oven, and bake for 1 hour.  About 10 minutes before the hens are done, scatter slivered almonds on top, and continue to roast until the skin is brown and the meat cooked thoroughly.  If you want, increase the heat slightly at the end to brown the skin, but make sure the liquid won’t dry too much.   

Serve hot, with steamed rice or couscous.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

ApricotsThe apricot sauce is luscious, smells absolutely amazing!

plated1 Dinner is served!  Tender pieces of cornish hen, a sweet and spicy sauce, plain couscous to soak it all up…

And, to brighten up the palate, a simple salad with fresh spinach, grape tomatoes, and black walnuts, with a delicate dressing of creme fraiche…

Spinach Salad

SPINACH SALAD WITH GRAPE TOMATOES AND BLACK WALNUTS
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

for the dressing:
2 tbsp champagne vinegar
1 medium shallot, very finely minced
1 tbsp creme fraiche
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

for the salad:
fresh baby spinach leaves
grape tomatoes, cut in half
black walnuts
salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl whisk together the shallots, vinegar, creme fraiche, Dijon mustard and salt.  Slowly whisk in the olive oil to make a creamy dressing.  Reserve.

Toast the black walnuts lightly.  Assemble the salad, and drizzle the prepared vinaigrette on top. Adjust seasoning with more salt if needed, and freshly ground pepper.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Comments:  This was a super-delicious meal, the apricots soak the sauce and develop a hint of spice to marry their natural sweetness. Make sure you remove the star anise and the cinnamon stick before serving the dish, you don’t want to have the favorite person in your universe to break a tooth right in the middle of a romantic dinner. That would pretty much spoil the mood. 😉

A double thank you is in order: Elra, thanks for bringing this recipe to my attention, and Jamie, thanks for playing with me on this Valentine’s week…

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Stay tuned for the final act of our romantic meal… dessert coming up tomorrow!

29 thoughts on “VALENTINE’S DINNER FOR TWO: SECOND ACT”

    • I was actually wondering about your adventures for V-day this year… funny, normally I am never part of this game, but this year two new things: making Valentine posts,and posting three days in a row!

      Like

      Reply

  6. I love cornish hens! They are so easy and tasty, but more importantly – you called it – romantic. 🙂 This looks scrumptious. I bet the sweet and sour apricot sauce just made the whole dish. This is one the whole family would love for sure.

    Like

    Reply

  7. Elegant, romantic and tasty. All good things on Valentine’s day. I don’t think we use couscous nearly enough especially as it’s so quick to make and if you season it properly, delicious, whether plain or fancied up. I served it with salmon a couple of days ago.

    Like

    Reply

  11. Great pic of your main dish! Looks succulent and delicious. I really have to give cornish hens another shot. I made them once decades ago when I really didn’t have a clue what I was doing in the kitchen and they were rock hard :(. This dish looks moreish! 🙂

    Like

    Reply

  13. Hi Sally, I will be making nearly the entire collaboration for Valentine’s dinner tonight with close friends. I’m Jamie’s mom, Cathy, and her biggest fan. Thanks for sharing your talents with hers and off to the kitchen!

    Like

    Reply

    • Wonderful to have you here! Nice to “meet” you, and so cool that you are Jamie’s biggest fan! I am sure you are super proud of her!

      I hope you enjoy the recipes, and maybe stick around the Bewitching Kitchen!

      Like

      Reply

Click here to comment, love to hear from you!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.