Here’s What to Cook Every Night This Week (February 12 – 18)
In case you’re still working on an epic Valentine’s Day feast for your S.O., we have seven dinner ideas that are guaranteed to set the mood. That means you can feel the love all week long instead of waiting for the 14th. From cheater’s duck (or chicken) confit to an easy-yet-elegant steak dish, these ideas are both dreamy *and* attainable, so you’re sure to impress without breaking a sweat. Fasten your “Kiss the Cook” apron—you’re about to woo your boo. Might we suggest ending the big night with a chocolate fondue board?
68 Date Night Recipes That Are Shockingly Simple (and Romantic)
Shopping List
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Produce
3 lemons
1 medium potato
2 sweet onions
1 head garlic
1 pound mushrooms (such as Baby Bella, shiitake or a mix)
1 medium yellow onion
2 celery stalks
1 medium carrot
1½ cups arugula
1 large or 2 small leeks
2 heads endive
3 bunches flat-leaf parsley
1 bunch scallions
1 bunch basil
2 bunches thyme
1 bunch rosemary
1 large bunch dill
Meat
Two 10- to 12-ounce boneless sirloin or New York strip steaks, 1 to 1½ inches thick
4 small or 2 large lobster tails
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 chicken or duck legs (about 2 pounds)
Dairy
6 sticks unsalted butter
10 ounces shredded white cheddar cheese
8 ounces burrata cheese
5 ounces grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
2 ounces half-and-half
22 ounces whole milk
4 ounces heavy cream
4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese
Eight ¼-inch-thick slices fresh, unsalted mozzarella cheese
Grains
6 ounces arborio rice
6 ounces wild rice
1 pound dry, bite-size pasta (such as elbow macaroni or small shells)
Canned and Packaged Goods
½ pound store-bought pizza dough
3 ounces pesto
20 ounces seafood or chicken broth
32 ounces low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
3 ounces hazelnuts
16 sheets frozen phyllo dough, about 14 by 18 inches
3 ounces kettle-style potato chips
Pantry Ingredients: harissa paste, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, extra-virgin olive oil, everything bagel seasoning, sherry vinegar, all-purpose flour, smoked paprika, Dijon mustard, allspice, coriander, whole-grain mustard, cayenne pepper
Monday: Antoni Porowski’s Strip Steak with Harissa Butter and Parsley Salad
Believe it or not, this stunning, gourmet-caliber steak will cook to juicy perfection in 20 minutes flat. (Yup, even newbies can handle it.) The parsley side salad will make you wonder why you’ve never let the underrated herb take the spotlight.
Tuesday: Potato and Burrata Pizza
There are many routes to the heart, but the shortest is no doubt lined with spuds and cheese. This seven-ingredient pie is piled high with pesto, white cheddar, paper-thin potatoes and creamy burrata. Pair it with a bottle of chardonnay and call it a night.
Wednesday: Lobster Risotto
Nothing says “I love you” like tender, succulent lobster. The risotto is teeming with salty grated Parm, vibrant lemon juice and rich, herbaceous thyme butter. Want to go all out? Pair the dish with steak or lamb to create an elegant surf-and-turf masterpiece.
Thursday: Instant Pot Mushroom Wild Rice Soup
Proof that you don’t need meat or cheese to craft a soul-soothing soup. Unwind with your dinner date over a bowl that comes together in just 45 minutes, thanks to your handy pressure cooker. Substitute vegetable stock to make it vegetarian.
Friday: Potato-Chip Crusted Chicken with Arugula Pesto
If you and your partner love to snack, this main is right up your alley. The chicken is coated in crushed, kettle-cooked potato chips, which hold their crunch like a charm in a hot oven. Use store-bought pesto to save time—we won’t tell your date.
Saturday: Mac and Cheese with Crispy Parmesan-Phyllo Crust
Hmm, a bouquet of long-stem roses… or phyllo dough rosettes? The choice is easy if you ask us. The toppers are brushed with butter and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, so they get crispy on the top but stay tender in the center. Think of the pasta as a delicious bonus.
Sunday: Foolproof Cheater’s Confit
ICYMI, “confit” refers to cooking a food in fat or oil (or sugar water, in the case of fruit) at a low temp for a long period of time. Here, duck legs sit overnight in garlic-herb butter and oil, then roast for three hours until the skin turns shatteringly crisp. If you can’t find duck, chicken will do (it’ll be just as impressive, promise).
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