Celebrating Valentine’s Day out on the town can be a hassle. Finding the perfect location, the perfect meal, and the perfect ambiance often takes away from a day intended for intimate moments shared alongside a loved one. Here, in honour of the day of love, are five recipes from the MONTECRISTO archive to be enjoyed in the comforts of your own home, with a bottle of wine, and nothing but the hours of the evening ahead.
Uva Cocktail & Wine Bar’s In Between Cupid Cocktail
Photo courtesy of Uva Cocktail & Wine Bar.
From the menu at Uva Cocktail & Wine Bar comes the In-Between Cupid, a citrusy, gin-based cocktail mixed with Bittered Sling Denman bitters, lemon juice, and bright red Campari, giving it that festive Valentine’s Day colour. The refreshing aperitif cocktail, with hints of vanilla, cinnamon, peppercorn, and sugar, is sure to spark the senses.
Nigella Lawson’s Tomato and Horseradish Salad
Photo by Jonathan Lovekin.
Domestic goddess Nigella Lawson is known for creating satiating dishes to be shared among friends and family at the dinner table. And with the Tomato and Horseradish Salad from her 2018 cookbook At My Table, it’s all about spontaneity, using simple ingredients often found at the back of the fridge. A perfect, no-fuss salad to bring some much needed rosy-red colour to the table.
Cioppino’s Homemade Ricotta Gnocchi
Photo courtesy of Milk Creative Communications.
From Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill & Enoteca in Yaletown comes the perfect homemade gnocchi dish. The secret here is to make the gnocchi with ricotta cheese and semolina flour, instead of with potatoes. Top with olive oil and parmigiana, and you got yourself a light, saucy dish that will set the standards for years to come.
J.C. Poirier’s Roasted Chicken, Boursin Cheese, and Mirepoix Vegetables
Photo by Lauren D. Zbarsky for MONTECRISTO.
Quebecois-inspired dining establishment St. Lawrence is known as the tiny restaurant in Railtown offering robust meat-centric meals—think salami ragout, veal with sweetbreads, and pigs’ foot—inspired by chef J.C. Poirier’s childhood in Saint-Jérôme, Quebec. His roasted chicken, stuffed and served with a herb and garlic (or black-pepper, if you prefer) Boursin cheese, is a dish that does not fail to appease any carnivore. Like any traditional roast, serve your main course alongside colourful vegetables and a fresh green salad for a complete dinner.
Araxi’s Black Forest Cake
Photo courtesy of Araxi Restaurant + Oyster Bar.
There’s something about a cold Canadian winter that goes hand in hand with warm desserts. From Whistler’s Araxi Restaurant + Oyster Bar comes the famed Black Forest Cake, a rendition of the two-tier chocolate cake classic. Decorated with brandied cherries and sweetened whip cream, serve this delightful dessert with ice cream for a treat that’s truly worth saving room for.
The best memories are often shared together in the home. And this Valentine’s Day, there’s no better way to celebrate.
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