10 Restaurant Quality Recipes for Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is just around the corner. Have you got anything planned? If you're planning on cooking your loved one a romantic meal at home, here are 10 restaurant-quality recipes you can easily recreate at home. Guaranteed to impress ;)

Click on name of dish for the full recipe.


1. Ham and rock melon
This is popularly served as a starter in Spanish or Italian restaurants, we had this numerous times while we were holidaying in Marbella.

To make this, no cooking skills are required. All you need to do is buy a rock melon and good-quality Jamon Iberico or Jamon serrano or Prosciutto. Cut the melon into slices and drape the Prosciutto over it. You can also make them into canapes (recipe here). Lovely with a glass of champagne.

2. Pan seared scallops with cauliflower puree and bacon crumble
This is my favorite scallop recipe, which I have cooked many times in my humble kitchen for my man. Not only does it taste fantastic, it looks really great on the plate too. A sure-fire way to impress your date, yes?

3. Chunky mushroom soup with truffle oil
Who doesn't like mushroom soup, especially when it's made with several different types of mushrooms and then finished off with a drizzle of truffle oil. You can make this early in the morning and then just reheat before serving.

4. Tenderloin steak with pumpkin mash
Steaks are incredibly easy to cook at home. You can also use rib eye or sirloin (these will not require a meat thermometer) - simply cook a 1 inch steak for 2 minutes each side for medium rare doneness.

5. Spaghetti with zucchini and king prawns
If your other half is a fan of Italian cuisine, make this pasta dish and reenact that kiss scene from "Lady and the Tramp". ;)

6. Risotto with scallops, asparagus and bacon bits
Another great Italian dish to recreate at home is risotto. It does require a little more effort, but nonetheless a simple dish to make. Creamy, rich and comforting, your other half will be most impressed and give you an A+ for your effort and the love that goes into making that risotto.

7. Roast lamb loin chops with rosemary and fries
Go to the supermarket and get 4-6 lamb loin chops and a packet of frozen fries and pop them in the oven. In 20 minutes or so, dinner is ready! How is that for easy?

8. Strawberry mille-feuille
Mille-feuille is an elegant and impressive-looking dessert. But guess what, it's soooooo easy to make. Plus Korean strawberries (the best kind!) is in season right now.

9. Passion fruit meringue
Meringues can be made ahead of time (ie make them the evening before) so all you have to do on Valentine's Day is to whip some cream and scoop out the passion fruit onto the meringue. More time to spend with your love!

10. Chocolate brownies with vanilla ice cream
Chocolate is considered as a powerful aphrodisiac, so you can't go wrong with chocolate brownies on Valentine's Day. Another dessert you can make the evening before, top it with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and you have a winner!

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Recipe: Risotto with porcini mushrooms, seared scallops and foie gras

I promised that I would share the recipe for this risotto with porcini mushrooms, seared scallops and foie gras, so here it is!

Christmas last year was a great success. Thanks to my team of sous chefs, I had no problems in the kitchen at all although we were serving 10 guests. For lunch, we decided to do a risotto - in hindsight, a damn good dish to make if you're serving a large group of people.

I made a simple chicken stock using chicken carcass, onions and carrots earlier that morning. Then, it was all a matter of stirring the risotto until it was cooked to al dente, creamy consistency. The frozen Rougie foie gras was a pleasant discovery at our usual "meat shop", which we thought would be really nice topped on the risotto. Cooking foie gras is surprisingly very easy (expertly done by Hubby)- just sear in a hot pan from frozen, then finish it off in the oven for 6-8 minutes. The Unc did a great job cooking the Hokkaido scallops - he got such a beautiful sear on them!

Super pleased with the risotto we made - it was creamy, rich and luscious. Not to mention super luxurious as well! Everyone was singing praises for it, so that made me one very happy chef :)

Risotto with porcini mushrooms, seared scallops and foie gras
Recipe by Baby Sumo
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes (+ 1 1/2 hours for stock)
Serves 8-10

Ingredients
400g arborio rice
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 tbsp butter
2l chicken stock
20g dried porcini
50g Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper


4 x 50g frozen foie gras
30 scallops

To garnish
Lemon cress
Parmesan / Parmigiano Reggiano

For the chicken stock
2l water
2 chicken carcasses
2 large onions, quartered
1 carrot, roughly chopped
1/2 - 1 tsp salt



1. In a large pot, place water, chicken carcasses, onions and carrots and bring to the boil over medium high heat. Once boiling, lower to low heat and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours. Skim off any oil and scum. Season with salt. Simmer on very low heat while you cook your risotto.

2. Rinse the dried porcini mushrooms in lukewarm water, then place in a small bowl and fill with hot water. Allow to soak for about 15 minutes, then drain. Roughly chop and set aside.

3. In a large non-stick pan or wok, heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook until softened, about 4-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Increase heat to high, then add the rice. Using a wooden spoon, stir the rice with the onion, making sure that the grains are coated with the olive oil/butter until slightly translucent and the rice starts to crackle, for about 2 minutes. This process is called tostatura. It helps the rice absorb the stock later.

5. Turn the heat down to medium low, and add enough stock to cover the risotto, about 1 cup. Keep stirring the risotto constantly as stirring massages the starch molecules out of the rice, hence creating a rich, creamy texture.

6. Allow the stock to be absorbed before adding more stock to the rice. Keep adding small amounts of stock (1/2 cup at a time) to the rice until the rice is soft but still has a bite to it (al dente). This will take about 20-30 minutes. Taste the risotto rice occasionally to check if it's ready. If you run out of stock before your rice is ready, you can add boiling water as a substitute for the stock.

7. When the rice is almost ready (95%), lower the heat, then add the porcini mushrooms and cook for 2-3 minutes until heated through. Take the pan off the heat and add the Parmesan into the rice (the mantecatura process) as well as 2 tablespoons of butter. Taste and adjust seasoning.

8. In the meantime, heat a frying pan until very hot over high heat. Once the pan is very hot, turn down to medium heat then add the frozen foie gras to the pan and cook without fat for 30 seconds - 1 minute each side, until golden brown. Place in a 180C (no fan) oven for 6-8 minutes. Season with salt. Cut each foie gras into half.

9. Heat a pan with 1 tbsp oil over high heat until very hot. Pat the scallops dry with kitchen towel and season with salt. Once pan is very hot, add the scallops and quickly sear, depending on the size of your scallops (about 1-2 minutes). Remove once cooked, and repeat until all scallops are cooked.

10. To serve, place risotto onto a plate, then top with scallops and half a piece of foie gras. Garnish with lemon cress and more shaved Parmesan. Serve immediately.


Note: You can start cooking the foie gras 8 minutes and the scallops 5 minutes before the risotto is ready.

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Recipe: Pan Seared Scallops with Pea Puree and Crispy Bacon

You know how much I love scallops,  so this would definitely be the ideal Christmas starter for me. I also love how Christmassy this dish feels,  incorporating the two main Christmas colours - green (from the pea puree) and red (from the crispy bacon). 

Pan Seared Scallops with Pea Puree and Crispy Bacon

The pea puree is adapted from Gordon Ramsay's recipe for pea and mint soup with Parma ham from his "Fast Food" cookbook. For me, the soup has a thick consistency, more like a puree than soup and works very well with pan fried scallops. And to finish off my dish nicely, I topped it with some crispy bacon for texture and colour. Super tasty!

A super delicious way to start a meal!

When I made the above scallop dish, our main course for the evening was this gorgeous op rib, cooked to perfection. This will also make a great main course on Christmas day.

Pan seared scallops with pea puree and crispy bacon
Recipe by Baby Sumo
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves 6

Ingredients
18 large scallops (I used Hokkaido)
Salt
3 rashers streaky bacon, sliced thinly
2 tbsp olive oil

For the pea puree
300g frozen peas
A large handful mint, leaves only (about 5 sprigs)
400ml hot water
3-4 tbsp creme fraiche



1. In a large pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over high heat and add the bacon. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until crispy and golden brown. Remove and place on a kitchen towel to remove excess oil.

2. Bring a pot of lightly salted water to the boil, then add the mint leaves. Then, add the peas and blanch for 2-3 minutes, until they are just tender and still bright green. Drain, and reserve the liquid.

3. Tip the peas and mint into a blender with 400ml of reserved water and whizz to a smooth puree. If the consistency is too thick, you can add a bit more water. Add a generous drizzle of olive oil and creme fraiche and pulse for a few seconds to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Pat the scallops very dry using a kitchen towel, then season with salt and pepper. Heat a frying pan with a drizzle of oil over medium high heat and once hot, add the scallops and cook for 1 minute, each side, or until cooked through. The cooking time depends on the size of scallops you are using, you want your scallops to still be slightly translucent in the centre.

5. To serve, spoon the puree into deep bowls, then top with 3 scallops each as well as some crispy bacon. Drizzle with some olive or truffle oil. Garnish with a mint sprig.


Note: Recipe for the pea puree is adapted from Gordon Ramsay's Fast Food cookbook.

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I am submitting this to the "Cook & Celebrate: Christmas 2014" event which I am co-hosting with Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids and Diana of The Domestic Goddess Wannabe. To join, simply cook or bake any Christmas recipes for the whole month of December 2014.

Your post must be a current post i.e. posted in December 2014 - please do not link older posts.Please mention our "Cook & Celebrate: Christmas 2014" event in your post and link back to Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids, Diana of The Domestic Goddess Wannabe and Baby Sumo of Eat your heart out.

Happy cooking! Do check out the other bloggers recipe below:




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Red Lobster Malaysia, Intermark Mall, Kuala Lumpur

Red Lobster, the world's largest seafood restaurant chain has opened its doors at the Intermark Mall, marking its debut in South East Asia. This iconic American casual dining seafood restaurant chain from the USA first restaurant in the US was opened in 1968 in Lakeland, Florida by founder Bill Darden and has since grown to over 700 restaurants across the United States, Canada, Middle East, South America, Japan and now Malaysia.

Red Lobster in Malaysia is operated by the Secret Recipe F&B Group in partnership with Darden Restaurants. According to Mr Ray Bauer, Managing Director of Franchise Operations, Asia for Darden Restaurants, Darden has invested into partnerships in cultivation of lobsters and aqua farm facilities for sustainable supplies in the country.

I was invited here for a food review here over the weekend, and I am happy to have gotten a taste of the Red Lobster seafood dining experience. 

To start, we had their famous Cheddar Bay biscuits - loved the warm savoury cheese biscuit (texture very similar to a scone). All orders will receive unlimited, complimentary servings of this. Other starters that we had were the lobster pizza (RM36.90) and the Parrot Isle Jumbo Coconut Shrimp (RM22.90). The pizza had a crisp thin base and was topped with Maine lobster chunks, fresh tomatoes and mozzarella cheese. But my favorite starter has to be the shrimp, coated in their signature batter, then tossed in coconut and deep fried to crispy perfection and served with a pina colada sauce. Really yummy!

Both soups that we tried were really delicious too - I had the lobster bisque (RM11.90 per cup, RM19.90 per bowl) and it was creamy, rich and came with generous chunks of lobster. I also tried some of the New England Clam Chowder (RM10.90 per cup, RM17.90 per bowl) and it was also very good. Creamy and loaded with clams and potatoes.

As for the mains, we tried some of their signature combinations - Bar Harbor Lobster Bake (RM109.90), Grilled Lobster, Shrimp & Scallops (RM99.90), Crab & Roasted Garlic Seafood Bake (RM74.90) and Lobster &Steak Burger (RM69.90). These are great for sharing as they are served in pretty large portions.

Bar Harbor Lobster Bake - a roasted split lobster tail, tender shrimp, sea scallops, mussels and linguine in a savory broth

Crab & Roasted Garlic Seafood Bake - Alaskan king crab with shrimp, sea scallops and potato wedges. We got a special tutorial from Mr Ray Bauer on how to shell the crab legs - and thanks to him, I'm now a pro at it! :) Found the crabs to be a tad salty, but still pretty good and it's really fun to eat (so easy when you know how, the meat just slips out effortlessly each time).

Grilled Lobster, Shrimp & Scallops - a split Maine lobster tail, skewered shrimp and wild caught sea scallops with wild rice pilaf. My favorite dish of the day, I really loved the meaty, tender lobster. For this dish, the scallops were the larger variety, and plump and skewered prawns were very tender and juicy too.

Other than seafood, Red Lobster Malaysia also serves steaks, pastas and chicken dishes. All meats served here are certified halal and no alcohol is used in preparation of the food.

Lobster and Steak Burger - beef burger patty topped with cheese, and onion rings. Served with grilled Maine lobster and French fries on the side. I did not try this, so not sure how the burger patty is.

And to end our meal, we had two rich desserts, the Double Chocolate Torte (RM15.90) and cheese cake (RM15.90). Really sinful and good!

By the way, they also have live Maine and Rock lobsters for diners to choose from. The Rock lobsters come from Sabah. They can either be steamed or roasted with a crab-and-seafood stuffing at an additional charge. The live lobsters can range from 600g to 1.5kg. Seasonal price, but for a rough idea, the price will be RM27 per 100 grams for Maine Lobster and RM56 per 100 grams for Rock Lobster.

Verdict: Overall, I was impressed with the quality and freshness of the seafood. The dishes that we had were certainly good and well-prepared. My Top 3 recommendations would be the Jumbo Coconut Shrimp, Lobster Bisque and Grilled Lobster, Shrimp & Scallops. 

Opening times: 11am to 10pm daily.

Location: Red Lobster Malaysia, The Intermark, Ground Level, Lot G-17, Intermark Mall, 348 Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2181 4855

Website: https://www.facebook.com/redlobstermalaysia




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Seafood Buffet Dinner @ Gobo Chit Chat, Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur

Seafood lovers should head over to Gobo Chit Chat at Traders Hotel KL and check out their seafood buffet promotion. Priced at RM108++ per person, we thought it was excellent value for money as the seafood is fresh and of high quality. 

Available on Fridays and Saturdays, the seafood buffet dinner features a plethora of fresh seafood. At the cold seafood counter, you can find freshly shucked oysters, poached scallops, blue yabbies, local clams, Alaskan king crabs and several variety of prawns. Definitely an impressive spread!

Alaskan king crabs

Spoilt for choice.... so many to choose from!

Blue yabbies and flower crab

Poached scallops

Local clams

Slipper lobster

Oysters

Other seafood appetizers include smoked salmon, salmon gravlax, smoked mackarel, pickled herring as well as fresh sashimi (salmon, butterfish, tuna) from the Japanese counter.

Sashimi from the Japanese counter

Grilled shishamo

Antipasto

During our visit, there was also a whole roasted salmon as well as rib of beef. I love the tender and juicy beef. :)

Other than the buffet spread, do visit the live cooking stations - looking at this wonderful spread of seafood makes my heart sing with joy. Large clams, prawns, scallops, crayfish, slipper lobster and several types of fish.... all ready to be grilled by the restaurant's friendly chefs. They're simply grilled with some herb butter, really tasty!

Fill yer boots!

One of the highlights of this seafood buffet is the buttermilk crab. Simply choose between the mud crab or flower crabs, and the chef will prepare it  for you. The crab is cooked in a claypot with butter, condensed milk, curry leaves  (in 7 mins, we were told) at the live cooking station. I really love the sauce, so fragrant and delicious! Not to be missed.

Flower crabs

We went for the mud crabs.... love 'em big claws!

And once you're done with the seafood, check out some of the desserts on offer. The melted cheesecake is highly recommended - rich and smooth.

Rainbow cakes in mini jars... too cute! 

Malaysian kuih

Cheese

Twin Towers on a rainy evening

The Seafood Buffet Dinner is available at Gobo Chit Chat every Friday and Saturday and is priced at RM108++ per person.


Opening times: 6.30pm-10.30pm (dinner).

Service: Good.

Location: Gobo Chit Chat, Level 5, Traders Hotel, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 50088 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Tel: 03- 2332 9888

GPS Coordinates: 3.154271, 101.715417


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