6 Easy Gourmet Date Nights

Prime Rib With Garlic Herb Butter

Ingredients
for 7 servings

1 cup butter, softened
7 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon pepper
5 lb boneless ribeye roast, trimmed
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups beef stock
mashed potato, to serve
green bean, to serve

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 500°F (260°C).
2. Mix together the butter, garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper in a bowl until evenly combined.
3. Rub the herb butter all over the rib roast, then place on a roasting tray with a rack.
4. Bake for 5 minutes per pound (10 minutes per kilo) of meat, so a 5-pound (2.2 kg) roast would bake for 25 minutes.
5. Turn off the heat and let the rib roast sit in the oven for 2 hours, making sure you do not open the oven door or else the residual heat will escape.
6. Once the 2 hours are up, remove the roast from the pan and pour the pan drippings into a saucepan over medium heat.
7. Add the flour, whisking until there are no lumps, then add the beef stock, stirring and bringing the sauce to a boil.
8. Remove from heat and strain the sauce into a gravy dish.
9. Carve the prime rib into ¾-inch (20 mm) slices.
10. Serve with the mashed potatoes, green beans, and sauce!
11. Enjoy!

Creamy Lemon Garlic Chicken

Ingredients
for 4 servings

4 chicken breasts
2 tablespoons coconut oil, divided
1 cup chicken broth
½ cup greek yogurt
½ lemon, juiced
3 cloves garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons oregano
6 oz spinach
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in a large ovenproof skillet over high heat.
3. Liberally season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper before transferring to the hot skillet.
4. Sear the chicken 2-3 minutes per side, just until it develops a golden-brown color.
5. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Allow the pan to cool slightly before heating the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat.
6. Toss in the garlic and sautée until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
7. Pour in the chicken broth, yogurt, lemon juice, and oregano and stir until the mixture is smooth.
8. Let the mixture reduce for a few minutes until it has thickened.
9. Pour in the spinach and sprinkle over another pinch of salt. Let the greens wilt down, stirring occasionally.
10. Place the chicken breasts back into the pan and transfer the pan to the oven.
11. Bake for 15 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked.
12. Serve chicken on a bed of the wilted spinach and top with a drizzle of the creamy sauce.
13. Enjoy!

Baked Lobster Tails

Ingredients
for 2 servings

lobster tail, 8-ounce (230 g) per tail
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 lemons, wedges, to serve
broccoli, to serve

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C).
2. Using a clean pair of scissors or kitchen shears, cut along the middle of the top of the shell towards the fins of the tail, making sure to cut in a straight line. Do not cut through the end of the tail.
3. Using a spoon, separate the meat from the two sides of the shell, then lift the meat up and out from inside the shell.
4. Press the two sides of the shell together, then lay the meat over the seam where the two shells meet.
5. If you are having difficulty opening the shell up to lift out the meat, flip the tail over and make cuts along the carapace where the legs meet the bottom part tail. This will help break the rigid structure of the shell and allow it to be more flexible.
6. While cutting through the shell, you may have also cut into the meat, which is perfectly okay. Make a shallow cut through the middle of the lobster meat so that you can peel down the thin layer of meat over the sides. This gives the lobster tail its signature look.
7. In a small bowl, combine the butter, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, lemon juice, and parsley, then brush the mixture evenly over the lobster meat.
8. Place the tails onto a baking sheet, then bake for approximately 12-15 minutes, until the lobster is fully cooked but not rubbery.
9. Serve with a side of broccoli and a lemon wedge.
10. Enjoy!

Easy Juicy Chicken Marsala

Ingredients
for 6 servings

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
1 cup all-purpose flour
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup shallot, minced
1 lb cremini mushroom, trimmed and thinly sliced
2 cups dry marsala
2 cups chicken stock
½ lemon, juiced
fresh parsley, to serve

Preparation

1. Cut each chicken breast in half crosswise, then cut the larger half again horizontally, creating 3 cutlets.
2. Place the flour, salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder into a wide shallow dish and stir to combine.
3. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour mixture, shaking gently to remove any extra flour and set aside.
4. Heat oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken in batches to prevent overcrowding.
5. Cook the chicken until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook the other side, 3 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
6. In the same pan, add more oil or butter as needed.
7. Add garlic, shallots, and the cremini mushrooms to the pan, stirring occasionally and scraping bottom the bottom of the pan until the mushrooms are soft and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes.
8. Deglaze the pan with the marsala wine and scrape all caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan.
9. Add the chicken stock and lemon juice, and allow mixture to come to a boil. Reduce to simmer, and cook until the liquid has reduced by half.
10. Turn off the heat. Add 2 tablespoons of cold butter and stir until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Add the cooked chicken to the sauce and simmer for 5 more minutes, flipping halfway through.
11. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with pasta, potatoes, or rice.
12. Enjoy!

Puff Pastry Salmon (Salmon Wellington)

Ingredients
for 2 servings

2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, chopped
½ onion, medium, chopped
5 oz spinach
1 teaspoon salt, for spinach
1 teaspoon pepper, for spinach
⅓ cup breadcrumb
4 oz cream cheese
¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons dill, chopped
1 sheet puff pastry, softened to room temperature
1 salmon fillet
1 teaspoon salt, for salmon
1 teaspoon pepper, for salmon
1 egg, beaten

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. In a pan over medium heat, melt butter. Add the garlic and onions, cooking until translucent.
3. Add the spinach, salt, and pepper, cooking until spinach is wilted.
4. Add the breadcrumbs, cream cheese, parmesan, and dill, stirring until mixture is evenly combined. Remove from heat and set aside.
5. On a cutting board, smooth out the sheet of puff pastry. Place the salmon in the middle of the pastry and season both sides with salt and pepper.
6. Place several spoonfuls of the spinach mixture on top of the salmon, smoothing it out so that it does not spill over the sides.
7. Fold the edges of the puff pastry over the salmon and spinach, starting with the longer sides and then the shorter ends. Trim any excess pastry from the ends, then fold the ends on top. Flip the puff pastry-wrapped salmon over and transfer for a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
8. Brush the beaten egg on the top and sides of the pastry. Score the top of the pastry with a knife, cutting shallow diagonal lines to create a crosshatch pattern.
9. Brush the top again with the egg wash.
10. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until pastry is golden brown.
11. Slice, then serve!
12. Enjoy!

Cabernet-braised Short Ribs

Ingredients
for 6 servings

6 large beef short ribs, trimmed of excess fat
MARINADE

2 stalks celery, trimmed and cut into 1-inch (2 1/2 cm) pieces
2 medium carrots, peeled, trimmed, and cut into 1-inch (2 1/2 cm) pieces
1 medium leek, white and light-green parts only, split lengthwise, thoroughly rinsed, and coarsely chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1 bay leaf
4 sprigs fresh thyme
whole black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
1 bottle cabernet sauvignon
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 qt unsalted beef broth, or chicken broth
GARNISH

mashed potato
italian parsley, chopped

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350F˚ (180C˚).
2. In a large bowl, add the short ribs, all vegetables, herbs and black pepper to taste for the marinade. Add the wine to cover.
3. Marinate at least 6 hours in the fridge.
4. Remove the meat from the marinade and pat dry with a towel or paper towel.
5. Strain the veggies from the wine. Reserve both the wine and veggies for later.
6. Season the meat with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Coat each side with flour and set aside.
7. In a large ovenproof pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat on the stovetop.
8. When the oil begins smoking, carefully slip ribs into the pot and sear until well-browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer ribs to plate.
9. In the same pot, sauté the veggies from the marinade until lightly caramelized and browned, 5 to 7 minutes.
10. Add the wine in the pot, stirring to deglaze. Add tomato paste and stir to dissolve. Bring the liquid to a boil so the alcohol from the wine evaporates.
11. Add beef broth and bring it back to a boil. Add the ribs back to your pot. Spoon the liquid over the ribs to coat them.
12. Cover the pot and transfer to the middle rack of your oven.
13. Bake until meat is tender enough to be pierced easily with fork, about 2½ hours, opening the oven every 30 minutes and carefully skimming the fat from surface.
14. Serve with mashed potatoes, or another side of your choice, and garnish with chopped parsley on top.
15. Enjoy!