Romantic Food & Wine Pairing

1. Fried Oysters & champagne:

Oysters are commonly known as a natural aphrodisiac. This dish is a perfect match for Champagne. Since you are already in the mood of something special, why not start it with bubbles immediately? Taking the condiments in this recipe into consideration, Brut or Natural Brut Champagne would be a better option.

Ingredients:
2 cups oysters, drained and     dried thoroughly
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
2 eggs
2 tablespoons water
Fine dry bread crumbs

Preperation:
In a bowl, combine flour, salt, and paprika. In another bowl, whisk eggs with water. Put bread crumbs in a third bowl. Dip oysters in the flour mixture, and then dip in egg, then in the bread crumbs. Fry in hot oil at about 370° until nicely browned, about 2 minutes.

2. Juicy steak with sun dried tomatoes & Cabernet Sauvignon:
Rumor has it that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, so remember to feed him well. This steak pairs nicely with a full bodied Cabernet Sauvignon. This recipe serves four, but if it’s just the two of you, just cut the amount of ingredients in half and you are good to go!

 Ingredients:
1-2/3 cups canned beef broth
3/4 cup ready-to-use julienned sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
1/4 cup butter
1 package (6.6-ounce) stuffing mix
1 to 1-1/4-pound skirt steak
Salt and pepper

Preperation:
1. Bring broth, sun-dried tomatoes and butter to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in contents of stuffing mix pouch. Cover saucepan and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Fluff stuffing with fork. Cool stuffing.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lay steak flat on clean work surface. Sprinkle steak with salt and pepper. Cover steak evenly with stuffing. Roll up steak lengthwise to create a pinwheel effect, enclosing stuffing completely. Place a toothpick to remain everything pinned.
3. Place the steak roll, seam side down, on a foil-covered cookie sheet. Sprinkle roll with salt and pepper. Roast until steak is golden brown and cooked through, about 40 minutes.

 

3. Milk Chocolate Fondue & Wine:

Chocolate and Valentines Day go together like Monkeys and Bananas. Just add wine into the mix and you have the perfect trio. But you know what’s more romantic than chocolate? Melted chocolate. The texture of the melted chocolate makes it easy to dip whole strawberries, banana slices, apple wedges, cake, marshmallows, crackers or chunks of chocolate chip cookie in the chocolate. But don’t be greedy, be nice and feed each other. Chocolate fondue goes well with a nice port or a rich Shiraz.

Ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream
12 ounces chopped milk chocolate (or dark or semi-sweet)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preperation:
Heat cream over medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes. When cream is hot (not boiling), stir in chocolate until melted and smooth. Mix in vanilla. Pour fondue into a fondue pot and allow it to cook.

For variations replace vanilla with orange or raspberry liqueur or rum, brandy, amaretto, African Cream, Kahlua, or another dessert liqueur.