Valentine's Day Math

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!
 
Ross and I celebrated with a nice homemade dinner over the weekend. Take a peek...


Math equations can be fun. For example:

Avacado + Red Onion + Cilantro + Tarragon + Honey:

+ GRILLED  LOBSTER:

= Grilled Lobster and Avocado Cocktail.

Lobster prepared plain and simple (with clarified butter) is still my favorite way to eat it because you really get to taste the lobster fully.  However, THIS Bobby Flay recipe was delish also!

But the lobster salad was just appetizer you see..

We also made Bobby Flay's Grilled Asparagus Chopped Salad with a Creamy Lemon Vinaigrette and grilled pita chips. (Recipe at the bottom)

The grilled asparagus gets added to watercress, cherry tomatoes, chedder cheese chunks, olives, tarragon, etc.

Spicy Ancho Chile Rubbed Filet Mignon with the finished Pita Salad on the side. 

If you like to grill, get Bobby Flay's "Grill It" cookbook. I think we've tested every recipe in it, YUM!

And here's a couple pictures of Lobster Fun, ahhh they're ALIVE!!!!

Roma was very interested in dinner.

Grilled Asparagus Chopped Salad with Creamy Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette and Grilled Pita Chip Croutons, pg 14
Ingredients:

• 2 pocketless pita breads
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cups mesclun greens
• ½ pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 8 ounces aged white Cheddar cheese, cut into ½ inch dice
• 1 English cucumber, cut into ½ inch dice
• ½ cup black olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
• 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained, rinsed and drained again
• Perfectly Grilled Asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces (recipe follows)
• Meyer Lemon Dressing (recipe follows)

Directions:

1. Heat your grill to high.
2. Brush the pita on both sides with oil and season with salt and pepper.  Grill until golden brown and crispy, about 1 minute per side.  Remove the pita to a cutting board and cut each pita in half.  Cut each half into ½ inch slices.
3. Combine the mesclun, tomatoes, cheese, cucumber, olives, chickpeas, and asparagus in a large bowl.  Add half of the dressing and toss well to coat; season with salt and pepper.  Drizzle with more of the dressing and top with the pita chips.

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Perfectly Grilled Asparagus, pg 11
Ingredients,

• 1 ½ pounds (about 24 medium stalks) fresh asparagus
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Heat your grill to high.
2. To trim the asparagus, snap the spears with two hands; the tough part should break right off.   For a cleaner look and less waste, you can cut off the tough bottoms with a knife and peel the bottom half of the stalk if necessary.
3. Place the asparagus on a baking sheet, toss with the oil, and season with salt and pepper.  Grill the asparagus, perpendicular to the grates of the grill, for 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until just crisp-tender.

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Meyer Lemon Dressing, pg 15
Ingredients:

• ¼ cup fresh Meyer lemon juice or 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice plus 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice.
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves

Directions:

1. Whisk together the Meyer lemon juice, vinegar, honey, mayonnaise, both mustards, and salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl.  Slowly whisk in the oil until emulsified and then stir in the tarragon.