Valentine's Day Recipes (continued from last post)

Here are some recipes to enjoy with your Valentine.  Cheers!

Tomato and Watermelon Salad adapted via www.myrecipes.com
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients

5 cups (3/4-inch) seeded watermelon cubes

1 1/2 pounds organic  ripe tomatoes, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

3 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 small red onion, quartered and thinly sliced

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Romaine lettuce leaves (optional)

Cracked black pepper to taste

Directions

Combine watermelon and tomatoes in a large bowl; sprinkle with sugar and salt, tossing to coat. Let stand 15 minutes.  Stir in onion, vinegar, and oil. Cover and chill 2 hours. Serve chilled with lettuce leaves, if desired. Sprinkle with cracked black pepper to taste.

Saffron Risotto adapted via www.epicurious.com

Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients

28 ounces organic chicken stock or vegetable stock

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1 cup arborio rice

1 cup white wine

Large pinch of saffron

1 tablespoon butter (or ghee for vegans)

1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus shavings for garnish (optional)

Directions

Bring stock to a low simmer in a medium pot. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat for 1 minute. Cook onion until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add rice and a pinch of salt. Sauté until rice is translucent, 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine and saffron; bring to a simmer, stirring, until rice has absorbed most of wine. Add 2 ladles of stock to rice; simmer, stirring, until rice has absorbed most of stock. Continue adding stock, allowing rice to absorb it before adding the next ladleful. Cook until rice is al dente and mixture is a little loose. Stir in butter. Turn off heat. Stir in grated cheese. Cover and let sit 2 minutes. Divide among 4 bowls. Garnish each with cheese shavings, if desired.

Seared Figs and White Peaches with Basamic Reduction adapted via www.myrecipes.com
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

2 teaspoons butter (or Ghee), divided

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, divided

4 firm ripe white peaches (about 1 3/4 pounds), halved and pitted

8 firm ripe Black Mission figs, halved lengthwise (about 1 pound)

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1/3 cup crème fraîche (optional coconut cream see www.foodnetwork.com for recipes)

1/8 teaspoon salt
Directions

Cook peppercorns in a small skillet over medium heat 6 minutes or until fragrant and toasted. Cool. Place peppercorns in a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag; seal. Crush peppercorns with a meat mallet or rolling pin; set aside.Melt 1 teaspoon butter or ghee in a large skillet over medium-high heat; stir in 1 teaspoon thyme. Add peaches, cut sides down, to pan. Cook 2 minutes or until browned. Remove from pan. Place 1 peach half, cut sides up, on each of 8 plates. Melt remaining 1 teaspoon butter in pan; stir in remaining 1 teaspoon thyme. Add figs, cut sides down, to pan; cook 2 minutes or until browned. Place two fig halves on each plate.

 Add vinegar to pan; cook over medium-low heat until reduced to 3 tablespoons (about 3 minutes). Cool slightly. Spoon about 2 teaspoons crème fraîche into the center of each peach half; drizzle about 1 teaspoon vinegar mixture over each serving. Sprinkle each serving with about 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Sprinkle evenly with salt