Make a Delicious Four-Course Valentine’s Dinner for Two With This Chef-Created Menu

Want to spice things up this V-Day? Impress your significant other with a meal that will blow their mind. From Steve Coluccio of @colucciocooks, this four-course menu includes easy Valentine’s dinner recipes that you can make on your own or together as a fun date-night activity.

Steve’s cooking style is all about simplicity. “I am big on using the best possible ingredients and extracting the maximum amount of flavor out of them,” says Coluccio. He created a menu that is approachable for all levels of cooking, as long as you go in with an open mind. “Recipes, in my opinion, should be viewed as guidelines, and nothing more. My recipes below simply outline the ways that I prefer to make these dishes. My hope is that the next time you make it, you will experiment by adjusting different things to meet your preferred taste instead of mine and continue to grow into the best culinary version of yourself,” says Coluccio.

First Course: Roasted Tomato Crostini

This is a simple appetizer that does not require much cooking.

Pair it with: CAST Sparkling Blanc de Noir or Josh Cellars Prosecco

Ingredients:

• 1 pint of cherry tomatoes
• 3 tbsp. olive oil + more for drizzling
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 1 handful of basil leaves
• 1 ball of burrata
• 1/2 of a baguette
• Extra virgin olive oil for drizzle
• Balsamic glaze for drizzle
• Kosher salt
• Freshly cracked pepper
• Maldon smoked sea salt (optional, but encouraged!)

Prep:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut the baguette on an angle into 1/4 inch thick slices.
3. Separate the garlic cloves from the head, but leave them in their individual skins.
4. Chop burrata into small pieces.
5. Chiffonade the basil leaves. (Chiffonade just means to cut into small strips.)

Instructions:

1. Place the baguette slices on a baking tray in a single layer. Lightly drizzle the slices with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the slices are a deep golden brown. Take out of the oven and let cool. Leave the oven on 400 degrees.
2. Grab a heavy oven-safe pan (cast iron or stainless steel) and add the garlic cloves, tomatoes, and 3 tbsp. of olive oil. Add a few twists of freshly cracked pepper. Mix so the tomatoes and garlic cloves or coated in oil. Put the pan in the oven for around 40 minutes. Take them out when the tomatoes are lightly browned and starting to burst. Let cool.
3. Remove the garlic cloves from the pan. Squeeze out the garlic from their skins and rub a little bit onto each crostini. Drizzle a little bit of the tomato juices in the pan onto each crostini. Top with the tomatoes and burrata pieces. Drizzle each crostini with balsamic glaze and extra virgin olive oil. Garnish with basil. Finish each crostini with a light pinch of salt (Maldon smoked sea salt if you have it). Serve.

Second Course: Arugula, Fennel, & Parm w/ Dijon Vinaigrette

This is a simple and very healthy salad to throw together. Once you learn how to make this vinaigrette, you will never need to buy salad dressing again.

Pair it with: Layer Cake Sauvignon Blanc

Ingredients:

• 1 clove of garlic, peeled
• 1 shallot
• 1 tbsp. of Dijon
• 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 cup champagne vinegar (You can use white wine vinegar as a substitute)
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Fine salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 bunch (about 5oz) of arugula
• 1 fennel bulb
• 1/4 lb. block of Parmigiano-Reggiano

Prep:

1. Mince the garlic clove.
2. Mince the shallot.
3. Juice the lemon.
4. Shave the parm.
5. Shave fennel.
6. Rinse arugula.
7. (Pour another glass of wine.)

Instructions:

1. Choose a container with a lid that has a tight seal. Add 1/2 of the minced garlic clove, 2 tbsp. of the minced shallot, 2 tbsp. of the lemon juice, and the rest of the ingredients to the container. Finish with 3 pinches of salt, and 3 cracks of black pepper. Seal tightly with the lid. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Remove the lid and make sure that the dressing is emulsified (it is one solid yellow color and there is no separation of the vinegar and oil). Taste the dressing and adjust to your liking with any of the remaining ingredients.
2. Combine the arugula, a handful of the shaved fennel, and a handful of the shaved parm in a bowl. Toss and add more of the fennel and/or parm to your liking. Pour half of the dressing over the salad mixture. Save the rest in the refrigerator.
3. Toss the salad to evenly coat everything. Finish with some more shaved parm on top.

Third Course: Pan-Seared Scallops with Creamy Lemon & Asparagus Rice

People are intimidated to cook scallops at home–don’t be. They are so simple, way easier than steak, pork, chicken, or fish. All you need is high heat and to trust yourself. They cook for literally 90 seconds at high heat on each side and they are done. Scallops are meant to be still semi-translucent and soft in the center. If they are solid white and rubbery, you cooked them too long.

Just make sure when buying scallops to make sure to get fresh ones. Find the fish counter at your grocery store and ask for fresh sea scallops. Also, confirm with the fishmonger that you are buying “dry” scallops. Some scallops are treated with a water and sodium solution after they are caught. You don’t want these. They will be hard to sear and often have a mushier texture.

Pair it with: The Calling Dutton Ranch Chardonnay, Panthera Chardonnay

Ingredients:

• 10-12 fresh sea scallops
• 1/4 cup +2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 shallots
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 cup basmati rice
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 cup unsalted or low sodium chicken stock
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice + 1/2 lemon for finishing
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 10 asparagus spears
• 2 tbsp. fresh parsley (dried is okay too)
• (optional) 2 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto

Prep:

1. Remove the side muscle from the scallops. Fresh sea scallops usually have a side muscle attached that is extremely chewy and can be unpleasant to eat.
2. Place each scallop on top of a double layer of paper towels. Top them with another double layer of towels and place a small baking tray on top. Don’t apply too much pressure. Let sit for 20-30 minutes.
3. Slice the shallots. Mince the garlic clove. Zest the lemon using a microplane/zester (if you do not have one of these, you can just skip this ingredient, the dish will still be delicious.) Grate the parm using the finest grater you have. Cut the asparagus into 1-inch pieces, but be sure to discard the bottom 1/3 of each spear.
4. Finely chop the parsley if you are using it fresh.

Instructions:

1. Use a pot or pan that has a tight lid and is big enough to contain the rice and 2 cups of liquid. Set it over medium heat and add the butter.
2. After the butter is melted and starts to foam, add the shallots. Stir and cook for about 1-2 minutes. Add the rice and stir to make sure it is evenly coated with the butter. Continue to cook and stir for another 2 minutes. Add the garlic and repeat for another 2 minutes.
3. At this point, the shallot will be soft and translucent, the rice will be lightly toasted, and the garlic will be fragrant. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the white wine. Stir and cook until the wine has almost all evaporated from the pan. Add the chicken stock and milk. Give a good stir and bring the liquid up to a boil. Then reduce the heat down to low in order to bring the liquid to a simmer. Cover and let sit for about 15-20 minutes.
4. In the meantime, cook the asparagus. Add 2 tbsp. of butter to a skillet. Put it on medium heat and add the asparagus after the butter starts to foam. Toss the asparagus in the butter and sprinkle with salt. Continue tossing and cooking for about 5-6 minutes or until tender.
5. When the rice is done, remove the cover and turn off the heat. Add the asparagus, 2 tbsp. of lemon juice, lemon zest, parm, and asparagus. Season generously with salt and pepper. Give a good mix and taste. Adjust your seasoning as needed. Cover again to keep warm while you cook the scallops.
6. Use your best heavy bottom skillet and get it on medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. Leave the pan on medium-high heat to get very hot. It is important here that you wait for the pan to get super hot. When I say hot, I mean you actually want to see smoke coming up from the oil. This could take about 5 minutes or longer on medium-high heat.
7. As soon as you start to see some smoke coming from the pan, sprinkle the scallops with salt and pepper. Put them seasoned side down in the pan. The oil will start to sizzle loudly, but don’t get scared. That is what you want. Leave the scallops where they are without moving them.
8. Season the side that is now facing upwards. You will see that the bottom edges will start to get brown. After about 90 seconds, flip the scallops using a spatula or tongs. They should release right from the pan and should not stick. Cook on the other side for about 90 seconds. Remove from the pan and set aside.
9. When serving, plate the rice, top with scallops and squeeze some additional lemon juice over your plate.
10. (Optional) Heat a non-stick pan to medium-high heat and lay 2-3 slices of prosciutto down flat in a single layer. Fry the slices until golden brown (1-2 minutes). Flip and fry the other side the same way. Remove from the pan and let rest on paper towels. When dried, crumble the prosciutto into little pieces and sprinkle over the scallops and rice.

Fourth Course: Nutella Ganache & Whipped Cream with Fresh Fruit

Try pairing it with: 2017 Late Harvest Port, Clos de los Siete Malbec Blend, Apothic Red Wine

Ingredients:

• Assorted fruit of your choice
• Ganache
• 1/2 cup Nutella
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp. maple syrup
• Whipped Cream
• 2/3 cup of heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp. of vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp. maple syrup
• A few pinches of confectioners’ sugar (you can use regular sugar if that what you have)

Prep:

1. Keep the cream and butter cold in the refrigerator until you are just ready to use it.
2. (Optional) Let the bowl you are going to use for the whipped cream sit in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Instructions:

For the ganache:

1. Add the Nutella to a mixing bowl. Place the butter on top of the Nutella. Heat the cream and syrup in a saucepan over medium heat until it starts to simmer.
2. As soon as a simmer is reached, pour the mixture over the Nutella and butter. Slowly whisk everything together until the butter melts and fully incorporates into the other ingredients and a silky smooth texture is reached.
3. Let sit for about 15 minutes before consuming.

For the whipped cream:

1. Put the cream, sugar, vanilla, and syrup into a large mixing bowl. Beat with a hand mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. You can also do this by hand with a whisk, but it will take much longer and require some extra effort.
2. Serve with your favorite fresh fruit. Some angel food cake would also go very well with this.

Did you try these Valentine’s dinner recipes? Show us on Instagram @Lulus–and score romantic styles from our Valentine’s Shop!