My first attempt in 2010 to make lighter food was this pumpkin and lentil salad from Bon Appetit. I substituted butternut squash for the pumpkin, regular paprika for smoked, used a generic bag of regular lentils instead of the French variety, and omitted the mint. Despite the changes, the salad was filling and had a satisfying blend of flavors. The only problem with it was that I didn't crumble the goat cheese enough and the lentils stuck to it. I love goat cheese, but I didn't love having large clumps of it covered in lentils throughout the salad.
I had a second encounter with goat cheese in Charlottesville at a "gourmet burger bar" called Boylan Heights. The "gourmet" in the restaurant's description about its burgers is no exaggeration: the beef is purchased from a local, organic butcher, and there are fifty high-quality toppings available. Each table is stocked with Scantron sheets and pencils in case diners want to customize a burger. Inspired by the turkey and white bean burger from Belvidere at Broad that I'd eaten a few days earlier, I selected goat cheese, spinach, caramelized onions, and roasted red peppers, and they certainly didn't disappoint. My bowl of sweet potato fries disappeared quickly as well - they were sweet and salty with just the right amount of crunch.
Normally either Davy or I will make a nice dinner for Valentine's Day, and we go out to eat on another night to avoid the crowds. This year we splurged on lobster tail (two for $15 on sale at Fresh Market!) and filet. Davy labored over the meat, lobster, garlic mashed potatoes, and steamed broccoli, and we even had enough filet to convert the components into a second special dinner.
The week before Valentine's Day was the Super Bowl, which I have never cared much about besides the food and some of the commercials. This year, however, I was cheering for my former high school classmate Marques Colston and the Saints. Davy and I hosted a get together with the traditional pigs in a blanket, Greek potato skins, bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers, and spinach and artichoke dip.
For dessert, I made the chocolate whiskey and beer cupcakes from Smitten Kitchen, and used food coloring to turn the Bailey's buttercream frosting gold. I also attempted to pipe some fleur-de-lis in dark whiskey ganache to mimic the Saints' logo and team colors. I have a long way to go before I become a cake decorator, but I do believe that my cupcakes were good luck. Let's hope that this post is good luck, and that my tribute to winter food will make spring come faster!
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