A Lux Galentine's Day

 Love can be true .Friendship is truer.That's why a great idea is turning this Valentine's Day into Galentine's Day is a perfect salute to those friends who mean the world to you. Serve them lux dishes and fun treats.

A gal's night I could be a charcuterie board filled with yummy ,rich cold cuts. Think slices of prosciutto and mortadella along with  the French saucisson sec or dry salami and cured ham slices. Have wedges of Brie and slices of Gtuyere. Crackers are a must as are sliced apples and grapes to offset the savoriness. Rich flavored jams like fig paste are also perfect on a charcuterie board. The theme can be carried into a sea-cuterie where shrimp lobster and crab can be served. You can set out little ramekins of melted butter  tartar and cocktail sauces.  Slices a few lemons too and serve them in a bowl.There could also be bowl of tuna with olive oil and anchovies in oil too. These are perfect on slices of pillowy Italian bread slices. As for extras , olives work as well as cornichons and gherkins.Can vegetarians enjoy a charcuterie board too? Yes! Have raw or roasted veggies with a series for dips and flavored oils. Try tomatoes, sliced bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower and asparagus. Serve freshly made bruschetta with this as well along with vegan cheeses which you can get from Target under the chai brand.

A hot, luxurious meal also works. Groceries such as Lidl sell lobsters at an affordable price. You can also have a crab leg dinner , thanks to your local seafood shop r grocery. Individual Cornish hens have a certain glamour to them Create such tasty side dishes as a fruit laced stuffing ripe with Fuji apples and Craisins along with asparagus spears in a Hollandaise sauce.A hot seafood sauce based pasta is another lux way of celebrating with friends.A light crab linguine is a perfect meal, delicious with nuggets of rich crab meat in a cream sauce. Of course nothing beats a good steak dinner.Try the French bistro classic Steak Diane. It;s an easy cook, surprisingly that starts with a pan fried steak with a sauce made from the beef drippings from the steak cooked with more butter, shallots and garlic. Carefully deglaze the pan with either cognac or brandy and then add mustard, Worcester sauce and beef broth.Cream us then added at the end to give the sauce a silky mouth feel. What to serve with this? Pomme frites, thin, julieenned French fries that can easily be cooked in an air fryer. 

Celebrate your friends this Galentine's Day with a lux meal Ther'es no better way to tell them you treasure them, Have a delicious dinner with those you love.

Steak And Potatoes Please

Sometimes the best meals are the simplest. The most famed and desired is  the simple steak and potatoes. It's an easy meal to make and thanks to the different cuts of meat and variety of potato recipes can be served a variety of ways. One day it can reflect the gaucho cuisine of Argentina the next , an homage to French bistro dining.

What steak makes for a good dinner./you have a choie.Most people go for the filet mignon .as we all know it's top of the line There are several reasons for this.It's not as marbled with fat as other cuts and extremely tender,It's best served cooked rare to medium. The best cooking method for it is searing or grilling. If searing , then you can  added a medallion of herbed butter for more flavor.A less expensive cut is the flank steak or London Broil. This is a triangular piece that has a robust beefy flavor and is good hot or cold. They are tougher in texture so marinating is in order.Try a simple oil and vinegar one, with some rosemary sprigs added. You can also try a soy and ginger one too. or for something exciting cook it gaucho style with a yummy chimichurri sauce. It's a spin on salsa Verdi with cilantro,tequila and lime juice.This  Sometimes you just want a plain hamburger. Use chop meat instead of the usual premade patties. Add some minced onion for a truly flavorful ones or insert a small blob of butter or an ice cube for tender moist ones.


As for the potatoes, there's a dozen recipes you can choose from. A plain baked potato is always the best It doesn't interfere with the meat's great flavor and you can use it to sop up the juices. Just bake in foil and add some butter or sour cream afterwards. You could also try pomme frites, the French way of making fries. These are then fried twice , the second time with garlic butter infused with parsley. You can serve aioli with both them and the choice of meat. Scalloped style is a great way to go, especially if you have filet mignon.These are thinly sliced  potatoes (use a mandolin for this) and baked with a cheddar  cheese sauce,layered in a casserole dish.You can sprinkled paprika or breadcrumbs on top for color and crunch.. Red potatoes also compliment any meat, even chicken and turkey. They're also easy to make. First coat in oil, sea salt and rosemary before being set in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes. One of the best recipes is mashed. Homemade mashed is excellent gracing a steak . Pour th e extra juice over the spuds and it is a classic meat and potatoes meal.

Nothing beats a good steak served with potatoes. It's simple yet filling., the perfect comfort dish for a cold night. Make it a variety of different ways. They're all good, they're all tasty.