Since it was Valentine's day and we decided to stay home, I thought I should do a "fancy looking" night out of it. I wanted to have a "theme" night and I thought Rum will be a good idea. Despite all my research on rum salad vinaigrette I couldn't find any that I like, so I made my "aunt Dina's oriental dressing", I did use rum on the main dish, the dessert and drinks.
You always can do all of this recipes with Rum extract instead of the actual Rum. Let's start with the salad.
Heart Garden Salad:
2 cups of Spring mix lettuce
1 cup of baby arugula
5 beats
1 medium size carrot
1 roma tomato
1 cup of Kalamata olives
2 oz goat cheese
100 gr walnuts
100 gr cashews
I eat a salad similar to this in a local restaurant but they used hazelnuts instead of my cashew/walnut combination, but my hubby is allergic to hazelnuts, so I thought this combination of nuts (harmless for him) will work too.
First make sure that you pick your spring mix very fresh, sometimes they are already a little wittered when you get them from the store.
Wash and rinse your greens and let them drain all the excess water.
Place on the bottom of your serving dish.
Chop the nuts, mix them together and if they are just plain nuts (no salt added), add a little salt and pepper. Set a side.
This time I used can beats, they taste very good, almost as fresh beats, and just to make it according to the day I sliced them and with a tiny cookie cutter I gave them little "hearts" shape.
I have to say that this idea was not entirely mine, my cousin Ruth ask me if I was going to do something with "red hearts" for the blog, so I thought this was a cute way to present it.
If you don't like goat cheese you also can do it with regular cream cheese.
First put the goat cheese in the freezer for about 10 minutes, so it's nice and firm, then slice it in 0.5 in.
Mold the cheese in little balls and then roll them in to the nut combination, set a side.
Aunt Dina's Oriental dressing:
It makes about 3 cups of dressing and I use just a tablespoon or two per salad, so I put it in the fridge and save it, or it's also a great "valentine's day" little present to share it with friends.
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger root
1 tbsp yellow mustard
3/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 lime juice and zest
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 cup vegetable oil
But everything in the blender and mix it for about 5 minutes. It should look creamy like the picture.
Main dish : Cheese Raviolis with Asparagus and Mushroom rum sauce.
I got a little creative with this combination and decided to experiment, the amounts of rum worked very good for this dish
For the Rum Sauce:
4 galic cloves, sliced
1 yellow onion
1/2 bunch of asparagus
3 cups of fresh mushrooms
2 cans of can mushrooms
1/2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup gold rum
1 tbsp corn starch
First chop the onions in 1/4 in squares.
Chop Asparagus in 2 in long.
I used two separate pans, because I wanted each veggie get their own flavor differentiated first and then mix it together.
1st pan : melt half of butter, add the onions and let them caramelize. Once they are done, add all the mushrooms let them cook, stir frequently, add a little of rum to soak flavors together.
2nd pan: melt the other half of butter and caramelize the garlic. Once done, add asparagus, and let them cook, stir frequently, add a little of rum to soak flavors together.
Add both pans contents in a larger pan, stir it gently.
Mix the rest of rum with water and corn starch in a separated container. Add to the veggies. Let it cook.
Just make sure it's not getting to stick together, if that happens add more liquid, water or rum, if you add rum, make sure to reduce it.
And for dessert :
Chocolate and Coffee Rum Balls with a Maraschino cherry on top
We had one of this on top of one scoop of my favorite vanilla bean ice cream (from a local place here in town, that has the best vanilla ice cream I ever taste)
The table was set for two, light up some candles ... and enjoy a good dinner. Happy Valentine's Day!
You always can do all of this recipes with Rum extract instead of the actual Rum. Let's start with the salad.
Heart Garden Salad:2 cups of Spring mix lettuce
1 cup of baby arugula
5 beats
1 medium size carrot
1 roma tomato
1 cup of Kalamata olives
2 oz goat cheese
100 gr walnuts
100 gr cashews
I eat a salad similar to this in a local restaurant but they used hazelnuts instead of my cashew/walnut combination, but my hubby is allergic to hazelnuts, so I thought this combination of nuts (harmless for him) will work too.
First make sure that you pick your spring mix very fresh, sometimes they are already a little wittered when you get them from the store.
Wash and rinse your greens and let them drain all the excess water.
Place on the bottom of your serving dish.
Chop the nuts, mix them together and if they are just plain nuts (no salt added), add a little salt and pepper. Set a side.
This time I used can beats, they taste very good, almost as fresh beats, and just to make it according to the day I sliced them and with a tiny cookie cutter I gave them little "hearts" shape.
I have to say that this idea was not entirely mine, my cousin Ruth ask me if I was going to do something with "red hearts" for the blog, so I thought this was a cute way to present it.
If you don't like goat cheese you also can do it with regular cream cheese.
First put the goat cheese in the freezer for about 10 minutes, so it's nice and firm, then slice it in 0.5 in.
Mold the cheese in little balls and then roll them in to the nut combination, set a side.
Aunt Dina's Oriental dressing:
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger root
1 tbsp yellow mustard
3/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 lime juice and zest
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 cup vegetable oil
But everything in the blender and mix it for about 5 minutes. It should look creamy like the picture.
Main dish : Cheese Raviolis with Asparagus and Mushroom rum sauce.
 |
| I apologize for the light of this picture but it was taking under candle light so may be that's why it looks so yellow. |
I got a little creative with this combination and decided to experiment, the amounts of rum worked very good for this dish
For the Rum Sauce:
4 galic cloves, sliced
1 yellow onion
1/2 bunch of asparagus
3 cups of fresh mushrooms
2 cans of can mushrooms
1/2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup gold rum
1 tbsp corn starch
First chop the onions in 1/4 in squares.
Chop Asparagus in 2 in long.
I used two separate pans, because I wanted each veggie get their own flavor differentiated first and then mix it together.
1st pan : melt half of butter, add the onions and let them caramelize. Once they are done, add all the mushrooms let them cook, stir frequently, add a little of rum to soak flavors together.
2nd pan: melt the other half of butter and caramelize the garlic. Once done, add asparagus, and let them cook, stir frequently, add a little of rum to soak flavors together.
Add both pans contents in a larger pan, stir it gently.
Mix the rest of rum with water and corn starch in a separated container. Add to the veggies. Let it cook.
Just make sure it's not getting to stick together, if that happens add more liquid, water or rum, if you add rum, make sure to reduce it.
And for dessert :
Chocolate and Coffee Rum Balls with a Maraschino cherry on top
1 cup vanilla wafer crumbs
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cups cocoa powder
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cups cocoa powder
2 tsps instant coffee
1/2 cups sweet condense milk
1/2 cups sweet condense milk
1 tsp cinnamon
4. marashino cherries
1/2 cup dark rum OR
4. marashino cherries
1/2 cup dark rum OR
Thoroughly mix all ingredients except rum in the food processor, put in a separate container and add rum to taste ( I did used that much rum and I don't think you can eat one of this and drive without getting a DUI)
Shape into 1-inch balls. Roll them in 3 tablespoons of powdered sugar mix with cinnamon.
Add the cherry on top.
We had one of this on top of one scoop of my favorite vanilla bean ice cream (from a local place here in town, that has the best vanilla ice cream I ever taste)
Makes 12-15 balls.
Store in covered container.
The table was set for two, light up some candles ... and enjoy a good dinner. Happy Valentine's Day!
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