Valentine's Day is memorable with romantic meals.
The elegance and beauty of crimson foods as main courses adds to the romance of Valentine's Day meals. The abundance of naturally red foods simplifies the search for main courses that do not require food coloring or time-consuming methods of brightening up the dish. Whether you're a vegan, vegetarian, omnivore or seafood lover, there's something out there for everyone to create a memorable meal for Valentine's Day.
Stuffed Red Bell Peppers
The color and firmness of bell peppers make them ideal for stuffing.
Choose firm peppers with bright colors to ensure the best taste. Stand each pepper up to check for symmetry, as the ability to stay upright when plated makes a lovely presentation. Use your favorite recipe to prepare this main dish. For vegans, a recipe containing quinoa, green onions, edamame, carrots and cilantro helps this dish stand out in color. For vegetarians wishing to try a raw dish, fill the red peppers with diced vegetables, cheeses, almonds, and a sweet and spicy sauce such as those made with ginger and red pepper.
Raspberry Chicken
The sweet and tart flavor of raspberries pairs well with chicken.
The versatility of raspberries makes sauce recipes adaptable to individual tastes. Find a recipe that suits your needs, such as sweet and tangy, hot and spicy, cool and creamy, or a chilled vinaigrette. Grill, saute or bake chicken breasts and serve over a bed of rice or noodles. Pour raspberry sauce over the chicken and garnish the meal with plump, juicy raspberries.
Red Beet Pasta
Beetroots are used to provide color and/or flavor in pasta dishes.
There are two common uses for beets in pasta dishes. One method colors the pasta red by adding cooked and pureed beets to the raw, unformed pasta dough. The contrast of red pasta topped with a creamy white sauce makes an impressive meal. The other method employs the use of beets to make a sauce commonly used for coating linguine noodles and includes thin slices of the deep red beets mixed into the dish. Check different recipes to see which type of sauce contains spices that flavor the sauce in a way that suits your needs.
Lobster Tails
Get creative with garnishes for a fancy lobster tail presentation.
Northern, also known as Maine, and European lobsters are the most common available types of lobsters. When choosing Maine lobster tails, look for ones from female lobsters, as they tend to be wider, heavier and may contain eggs that look similar to caviar. These eggs are known as coral, and those lucky enough to find this edible delicacy in their dish typically consider it a stroke of good fortune. Use some creativity to dress up the dish and serve with a variety of dips and sauces such as browned butter, creamy garlic or curry sauce.
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