Valentine’s Day Recipe Series: Sophisticated Side Dish
February 6, 2016 |
Valentine’s Day is just 8 days away. In 2016, the holiday encompasses an entire weekend and there’s so much to do.
Flowers, reservations, candles, candies, uber limousine transportation. Oh, and you have to fill 3 date nights?!
So much to do, yet so little time.
The Main Entrée Valentine’s Day Recipe Series is here to ease the stress of impressing your loved one.
Ahh the joys of date-night cooking. You like hearty beef dinners. Your date likes to keep it light and healthy. You can’t stand fish. Your date will only eat fish. You loath vegetables and, of course, your date must have them as the foundation of his or her plate.
On a romantic holiday such as Valentine’s Day, selflessness is imperative. However, must we kill our own taste buds while accommodating our date’s?!
Not if Main Entrée can help it.
In Part 1 of this series, Hell’s Kitchen Chef, Brian Santos, put an elegant twist on a traditional favorite. In Part 2, we offer you a side dish that is simple yet eclectic. This accompaniment is customized to enhance simple proteins with savory flavors. Sure to impress.
Today, we offer you a simple winter harvest roast. Consisting of apples, sweet potatoes and winter squash, this accompaniment takes care of your starch and vegetable in one preparation. The apples and squash are bursting with savory flavors that are sure to delight the palate of the salmon, pork or chicken lover. The abundant textures of the sweet potatoes and apples satisfy hearty cravings and will offer a unique alternative to the steamed vegetable and baked potato you were planning to serve along side a buttery Filet Mignon.
Enjoy!
Valentine’s Day Recipe Series: Winter Vegetable & Potato Roast –serves two (20 minutes prep-time)
Recommended Proteins: Main Entrée boneless Pork Chop, Main Entrée Filet of Salmon, Main Entrée Airline Chicken Breast or Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breast.
Winter Vegetable and Potato Ingredients:
- 2- sweet potatoes, rinsed, peeled and diced
- 1- large winter squash- peeled and diced
- 2- medium size sweet apples (pink ladies are great)
- 3- slices of bacon- diced.
- 1- large red onion, diced
- 1/4 cup- fresh thyme, sage and rosemary- chopped
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1- pinch cinnamon
- salt and pepper to taste
For Basting Recommended Protein:
- 2- tablespoon light brown sugar
- 2 tabs salted butter, softened
- 2- garlic cloves- chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions for Potato and Vegetable:
Preheat oven to 375º. In a large mixing bowl, add all ingredients for potato and vegetable roast. Toss, coating all ingredients. Line a shallow baking pan with parchment paper or tin foil. Inside the pan, create an even layer of potato/vegetable ingredients. Place in oven for 30-minutes, rotate once- check often (oven temperatures vary). Potato and vegetable roast is complete when all ingredients are golden and the sweet potato is soft with a fork. You can serve this as a stand-alone potato/vegetable for your entrée OR you can continue the directions below to further incorporate your entrée with this side dish.
Directions Protein Baste:
In a microwave safe container, combine all ingredients and mix. Place in microwave for 20 seconds, or until butter mixture is melted*. Follow Chef Notes below.
When the potato and vegetable mixture are half way finished roasting (about 15 minutes left), prepare to sear your protein of choice on medium-high heat with 2 table spoons of olive oil. Once your oil is hot, quickly pan searing your protein- you are only searing the protein on both sides, not cooking it all the way through. Once the protein is golden on both sides, carefully remove from heat and place atop the potato/vegetable mixture roasting in the oven. Complete the cooking process for the protein and remove from heat. Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes.
*If you are using a Main Entrée Filet Mignon, Sirloin, Ribeye or Porterhouse, leave butter mixture, un-melted and at room temperature. Grill the steak completely (to your desired temperature- we recommend medium-rare) and allow to rest. Once the potato/vegetable is finished, remove from heat. Place roasted ingredients in the center of a large plate. Place your beef on top and add an attractive tablespoon (use 2 tablespoons to form an oval) of the butter mixture to the beef. Enjoy.
In Part 1 of this series Chef Santos prepared the perfect dinner for two. Chef also supplied the perfect steakhouse side dish- creamed spinach. Click here for recipe.
Refer to our delivery timetable to insure you receive your products in time for the big dinner.
