You know that old Andy Williams song, "Love Is a Many Splendored Thing"? If he weren't singing about a gal, he might be singing about this dinner menu, dreamed up by our test kitchen duo, Josh Cohen and Sara Jenkins.
The scallop crudo was our test kitchen chef Josh's girlfriend's idea. "I asked my girlfriend what a nice thing to cook for Valentine's Day would be, and she said raw scallops—so I thought I'd better start thinking up some raw scallop recipes," he said. "Raw scallops, when they're really fresh, are one of the nicest ingredients you can use. They're so sweet, just pristine seafood."
And Sara, our chef in residence, said that she thought to make beet-filled casunsei because, well, they're pink—but also because "these beet-filled ravioli deserve to be made." The prospect of making your own ravioli might be feel intimidating, but feel free to use wonton wrappers instead of fresh pasta for the casunsei—and besides, it's fun to take risks with your person. Especially in the relatively low-key environment of your own kitchen, on a day when all you really want is to spend a few hours together.
The dishes, from the sweet-cold crudo to the rose-scented panna cotta, are special and thoughtful and even decadent—but, said Sara, they "aren't so heavy that you will just pass out after dinner." And that's exactly what dinner for the one (or the gang of friends) you love should be about, right?
Throw on some mood music (open to interpretation), buy some wine, and roll up your sleeves. Then make these recipes:
Make the table your own:
Head over heels for those pale pink dishes? They're available for presale now:
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