ELEGANT EATS

The Quickest Way to a Romantic Heart

By MICHELLE RESTER

ROMANCE is in the air and you’re in the mood for some quality time with that special someone. Why not treat yourselves to dinner by candlelight? How about a private table for two? You’re sure to get the best table in the house - yours.

Make it a night to remember with this elegant dinner for two. It should take you no more than 40 minutes from start to finish.

Recipes are courtesy of Jose Luis Alba, executive chef at Napa 29, an award-winning, fine-dining restaurant in Corona.

Pour a glass of wine - perhaps your favorite Chardonnay - and get working on this artistic starter. Chef Alba calls this creation a Shrimp and Scallop Cassoulet. Make your own pie crust shaped into a small bowl with sides and a lid if you like.

No need to season the dough. Or use some help from the store and purchase a couple small pie crusts in which to fill tasty shrimp, scallops and sauted teardrop or baby Heirloom tomatoes.

shrimp and scallop cassoulet

Ingredients
2 medium shrimp
2 medium scallops
3 oz. Yukon gold potatoes
1 small pie crust shell
3 cherry teardrop tomatoes
1 oz. balsamic vinegar
2 oz. Madiera wine
Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Pan-sear scallops with kosher salt and black pepper. Use a cheese grater and grate potatoes on the end with the large holes. Wrap strings of potatoes around the shrimp, season with kosher salt and pepper, then sear in a hot pan with a little olive oil. Reduce Madiera wine in a sauce pan with balsamic vinegar. After it’s reduced (let it boil for awhile until it thickens) sauté with the tomatoes. Place shrimp, scallops and tomatoes into baked pie crust shell.

Relaxed yet? Let’s move on. The next one is fancy, but oh so simple.

poached pear frizze salad

Ingredients
1 poached pear
1 ripe mango
2 oz. frizze salad
2 oz. red wine
1 oz. watercress
4 oz. cranberry juice
1 cinnamon stick
1 oz. blue cheese crumbles
1 stick lemon grass

Directions
Peel, core and poach in a small sauce pan one pear with cinnamon stick. Toss watercress and frizze salad together in a small bowl. Peel mango and make 1 oz. shavings.

Dressing: Put 2 oz. red wine and 4 oz. of cranberry juice in a sauce pan and boil until it is reduced by half. Toss mango shavings, watercress, frizze and dressing in a small bowl. Top salad with blue cheese, accompanied with diced poached pears. Garnish with a stick of lemon grass.

Now, for the main entree. The aroma of this savory andcomforting dish is sure to create just the right mood.

pan-seared herb chicken

Ingredients
4 oz. chicken breast, butterflied
2 Yukon Gold potatoes
1 red bell pepper
2 oz. pancetta (or bacon, if you prefer)
2 oz. mixed vegetables (such as carrots, zucchini and baroccoli)
1 sprig rosemary
1 sprig thyme
1 oz. parsley
Shot of brandy
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Basil olive oil

Directions
Finely chop rosemary, thyme and parsley and rub over the chicken. Pan-sear (on high heat) chicken three minutes on each side. Dice potatoes and bake in the oven at 350 F for about eight minutes or until tender. Roast one red bell pepper in the oven, peel and dice. In a small bowl, mix fresh herbs, bell peppers and potatoes with kosher salt and black pepper. Steam mixed vegetables.

For the sauce
Brown balsamic reduction with brandy in a small sauce pan. Spoon or pour balsamic reduction around the edges of the plate. Place half of the potato, pancetta, tomato mixture onto the center of each plate. Top each with chicken and drizzle basil olive oil over top. Watch how the oil drips off the chicken and into the sauce, creating an intriguing design. End the meal with a cup of cappuccino or a nice dessert wine and this decadent, chocolate treat.

chocolate bomb

Ingredients
Handful of fresh raspberries
Handful of fresh blackberries
2 oz. chocolate mousse
1.5 oz. melted dark chocolate
1 oz. caramel sauce
1 oz. raspberry sauce
2 wafer sticks
2 oz. sugar

Chocolate cake box mix
Sprinkling of powdered sugar

Directions
Mousse
Mix whipped cream, melted dark chocolate and 1 oz. sugar and fill mixture
in cupcake molds. Place in freezer.
Bake chocolate cake according to package directions. When cool, top with
chocolate mousse. Pour melted chocolate over and refrigerate.

Raspberry sauce
Boil 4 oz. water in a pot with 3 tablespoons. cornstarch and 1 oz. sugar.
After it has boiled and mixture is thick, approximately five minutes,
remove from pot and mix in the blender.
Strain raspberries and cool and refrigerate.
Garnish with powdered sugar, wafer stick and mint leaf.

Napa 29
280 Teller St., Ste. 130, Corona (951) 273-0529, www.napa29.com
Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday for champagne brunch
Reservations recommended