What's Cooking For Valentine's Day

"Seafood paella at Picaro in the Mission" by Neeta Lind is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
By Dale Mayo, February 2, 2023
Valentine’s Day is upon us… For some, it conjures up images of chocolates, roses, and champagne; for others, heart-shaped beds and hot tubs; and for many, it is a stressor. February 14th has become a day of expectation for boyfriends and girlfriends, those hoping for a proposal, and those hoping for romance. That’s a lot of pressure for one day.The myths surrounding the day are many and diverse (see graphic below). There is one thing we can all agree on: a tasty, healthy meal should be part of the plan.
Valentine’s Day Myths
[1]
Invented by greeting card companies
February 14 traces back to the Romans as a day to celebrate love
Directly connected with Saint Valentine
Cupid is a sweet little cherub
Single people are miserable on Valentine’s Day
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"Lobster Tail Tuesdays" by kurmanstaff is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
Seafood recipes for your (sweet)heart
Sizzlefish has lots of good recipes on it’s website, including some dedicated to Valentine’s Day. Here are a few palate-pleasing seafood dishes that would make almost any (sweet)heart happy.
- Lobster: It’s hard to beat lobster tails and champagne to set a romantic scene. Use this link to learn how to prepare lobster tails
- Salmon: With just six ingredients, Honey Bourbon Salmon[3] is a delicious entrée full of rich flavor and protein and is ready in half an hour. The honey bourbon sauce (which could also be used on grilled shrimp), made with bourbon, honey, soy sauce, Dijon mustard and garlic powder, can be made a day ahead of time and refrigerated.
- Scallops: For a super-simple one dish meal, try Scallops in Parchment.[4] It’s hard to go wrong with scallops, tomatoes, beans, fennel, parsley, oil, salt, and pepper baked in a parchment packet.
- White fish (catfish, halibut, haddock, or cod): You can make this Quick Fish and White Bean Stew[5] ahead of time. It is a simple, delicious, light but filling dish with fish (you can use as much as you wish), red peppers, onions, white beans, mushrooms, tomatoes, herbs and spices. See recipe at the end of the article (there is no web link).
- Shrimp: Another tasty romantic meal is Garlic Orzo Tuscan Shrimp,[6] in which orzo is combined with shrimp, garlic, roasted red peppers, baby bellas, and spinach in a light Parmesan cheese sauce.
- Paella: Chicken and seafood are used in this easy and healthy version of Slow Cooker Chicken and Seafood Paella[7] that cooks in just a couple of hours time.
Suggested wine pairings
If you want to add a bottle of wine or bubbly to your dinner menu, the table below offers wine pairing selections for types of seafood and style of preparation. A more detailed description of which wines pair well with which seafood dishes, check out this Sizzlefish webpage.[8]
Seafood dish |
Suggested wine pairing |
Examples |
Crab Cod Tilapia Clams |
Sauvignon Blanc Dry Reisling Pinot Gris Grüner Veltliner |
Kim Crawford Marlborough Sauvignon BlancA Acrobat Pinot Gris 2019 (Oregon)B |
Halibut |
Gewürztraminer |
Navarro Vineyards GewürztraminerA |
Lobster |
Chardonnay Pinot Grigio Chenin Blanc |
Bonterra Vineyards ChardonnayA Cambria Chardonnay Santa Maria Valley Katherine’s Vineyard 2017C |
Oysters |
Chardonnay |
Anderson’s Conn Valley Vineyards ChardonnayA |
Scallops |
Sancerre |
Domaine André Neveu SancerreA |
Shrimp |
Sparkling Wine |
J Vintage Brut NVA |
Salmon Tuna and Grilled Seafood |
Sparkling, full-bodied white, and red wine Pinot Gris Merlot Zinfandel Pinot Noir Sake |
Merisi Pinot Gris Los Carneros 2020C Ridge Vineyards 2019 Three Valleys Zinfandel Blend, Sonoma CountyC Whitehall Lane 2017 Merlot, Napa ValleyC Esser Vineyards Pinot NoirA Kanpai London, FIZU Sparkling Sake, JapanD |
Fried seafood |
Sparkling Wine, Rosé Champagne Prosecco Cava Asti Spumante |
Roederer Estate Brut Anderson Valley NV ChampagneC Villa Conchi Cava Brut Seleccion Domaine de Rimauresq Côtes de Provence RoséC |
Spicy seafood |
Riesling |
Chateau Ste. Michelle-Dr. Loosen Riesling Columbia Valley Eroica 2019C |
D Decanter
There are thousands of articles, blogs, songs, videos, and news programs that give advice about how to make your Valentine’s Day special. The themes are similar for singles, pairs, married couples, families – do something that makes you feel good (e.g., streaming shows that star your favorite actor, buying roses, taking a hike, traveling to play in the sun or snow, volunteering). Exercise can help relieve stress and can boost endorphins.[9] Whatever else you choose to do for Valentine's Day, preparing a healthy, savory meal is a good plan for everyone and Sizzlefish is here to help.
Quick fish and white bean stew[10] |
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Ingredients 2 red bell peppers, sliced 2 medium onions, sliced 2 medium zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces 2 cups sliced mushrooms 6 medium tomatoes, chopped 1½ cups cooked white beans (15oz can, no-salt) 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 tsp Herbes de Provence ¼ tsp black pepper ⅓ pound firm fish filets, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice |
Preparation Heat 1/8 cup water on medium heat in a large pan. Add the bell peppers and onions and cook for 3 minutes. Add the zucchini and mushrooms and continue cooking for another 6-8 minutes or until tender, adding more water if necessary to keep vegetables from sticking. Add the tomatoes, beans, garlic, herbes de Provence, and black pepper and simmer on low heat for 4 minutes. Add the fish to the stew and mix in gently. Cover and simmer on low heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Before serving, stir in lemon juice. |
References
[1] Catron, M.L. (2019). Five myths about Valentine’s Day. The Washington Post, February 8, 2019. https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/five-myths/five-myths-about-valentines-day/2019/02/08/6f5ddaac-29c4-11e9-b2fc-721718903bfc_story.html
[2] https://www.sizzlefish.com/blogs/lobster-recipes/how-to-prepare-lobster-tails
[3] https://www.sizzlefish.com/blogs/salmon/honey-bourbon-salmon
[4] https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/scallops-parchment
[5] Fuhrman, J. Eat To Live Quick & Easy Cookbook. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2017. Print.
[6] https://zonacooks.com/garlic-orzo-tuscan-shrimp/#mv-creation-25-jtr
[7] https://fitslowcookerqueen.com/slow-cooker-chicken-seafood-paella/
[8] https://www.sizzlefish.com/pages/seafood-wine-pairings
[9] https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/exercise-and-stress/art-20044469
[10] Fuhrman, J. Eat To Live Quick & Easy Cookbook. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2017. Print.