Valentine Dinner

I know this picture looks like we made Carrie eat at the bar by herself, but we really did let her join us at the grown up table. 

Frankie & Carrie joined us for Valentine's Day dinner.  On the menu:

Fennel, Orange and Radish Salad - This is such a fresh and beautiful salad.  Combine strips of fennel, segments of orange and sliced radishes and toss with olive oil, juice from the orange and salt & pepper.  I used blood oranges because that's what we happened to have in the fruit bowl - not a good idea, it turned the vegetables bright pink!  I claimed I used them on purpose in honor of Valentines.

Garlic Sausage and Spinach Ravioli - Crumble the garlic sausage (ground pork, chopped garlic, chopped thyme, white wine and salt & pepper) in a skillet and cook until it is no longer pink.  Combine the cooked sausage with cooked, chopped spinach, grated asiago cheese, fresh chopped basil, a couple of eggs and salt & pepper.  Roll out a sheet of fresh pasta, place tablespoons of sausage filling on the pasta, about 3 inches apart.  Top with another sheet of pasta and stamp out raviolis with a round cookie cutter.  Seal the ravioli making sure to push out all of the air.  Cook in salted boiling water until the ravioli float to the top about 3 to 4 minutes.  On this night we dressed the ravioli with a butter-sage sauce.

And this delicous Osso Bucco  (click for the recipe and scroll down to Day 16):

 

ZABAGLIONE GELATO - Zabaglione is a creamy Italian dessert made with egg yolks, sugar and wine. Traditionally the wine used is Marsala, but for this recipe I substituted Grand Marnier, an orange-flavored liqueur. Gelato is Italy’s version of ice cream. It has less butterfat, is less solidly frozen than ice cream and melts in your mouth faster allowing you to taste the full creamy flavor immediately.

6 extra-large egg yolks

½ cup sugar

½ cup Grand Marnier

2 cups heavy whipping cream

¼ cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Pinch of salt

In the top of a double-boiler or stainless steel bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar together until thick and pale yellow. Stir in the Grand Marnier and whisk together until blended. Put the bowl over a pan of simmering water - not too hot or you will scramble the eggs – and constantly whisk until thick and doubled in volume.

You now have zabaglione and it can be served as is – warm, creamy and delicious. But, if you would like a frozen dessert continue on ...

To make a zabaglione gelato – whip the cream, sugar, vanilla & salt together until medium thick. Fold the cream into the zabaglione and chill for 2 to 3 hours. Process in an ice cream machine for about 20 minutes. Transfer the mixture into a plastic container and freeze for at least 3 hours.