Date night dinner ideas for this winter: recipes included

WINNIPEG – With the weather getting cooler, you may want to start limiting your time outside.

The Morning News joined executive chef Eraj Jayawickreme to give you date night dinner ideas to make from the comfort of your own home this winter.

This meal includes a roasted beet and blackberry salad paired with bison tenderloin and roasted garlic potatoes.

For dessert, Jayawickreme suggests a homemade chocolate mousse cake with fresh berries soaked in champagne.

Roasted beet and blackberry salad with blue cheese and blackberry vinaigrette

Ingredients:
¾ cup Olive oil
¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
1 loose cup blackberries, plus extra to garnish
5 ounces baby arugula leaves, washed and dried (about 1 cup per person)
12 small beets, assorted colors, washed and dried (2 beets per person)
½ cup walnuts pieces
5 – 6 ounce wedge of Stilton cheese
1 tablespoon honey
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Roast the beets by wrapping them in foil (wrap the lighter beets in a separate packets than the dark so the colors don’t bleed onto each other).
2. Place the wrapped beets into a 425 degrees F. oven for 30 – 45 minutes, until they are tender
3. Remove beets from oven, and allow to cool.
4. Run the beets under cold water and slip off the skins, using a small paring knife to remove the tough bits, if necessary.
5. While the beets are roasting, place the vinegar and blackberries in a bowl and mash the berries thoroughly using the back of a fork or potato masher.
6. Strain the mixture through a fine wire sieve.
7. Press all of the liquid out into a large cup or small mixing bowl.
8. Add the olive oil and honey to the vinegar mixture and give it a good whisk.
9. Add salt and pepper to taste.
10. Place approximately 1 cup of greens on the center of each plate.
11. Arrange 4 of the quartered beets around the greens, using two different colors of beets if you have them.
12. Then place few blackberries on each plate.
13. Cut small pieces of the Stilton off the wedge and scatter chunks of the cheese over the greens and you may even want to place a small wedge of the cheese on the side of the salad.
14. Sprinkle the walnuts over the salad and drizzle with the dressing.

Pan-Seared Bison Tenderloin

Ingredients:
2 (6 ounce) bison fillets
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Canola oil
6 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tbsp unsalted butter

1. Remove the fillets from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes prior to cooking, allowing them to come to room temperature.
2. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
3. Pat the fillets dry with a paper towel (this helps them get a good sear) and season amply with salt and pepper. Proteins absorb a lot of salt, so don’t be shy, give them a good coating.
4. Heat enough canola oil to coat the bottom of a stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. Since the steaks are lean, you will need the help of fat to ensure they don’t stick to the pan. You could use a nonstick if that is your only option, but you can get a hotter surface by using stainless steel.
5. Once you see light wisps of smoke rise from the pan, place the fillets in the pan and sear 1 minute on all sides, making sure not to move the meat around too much, which prevents that delicious crust from forming.
6. Once seared on all sides, remove pan from heat, place the butter and thyme along the edge of the pan and tilt back until the butter is melted. Using a large spoon, baste the tops of the fillets with butter. Place pan directly into the oven and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes for medium-rare, or until the internal temperature reads 120 degrees F.

Let the bison rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing to ensure all the juices redistribute and you have a tender, juicy steak.

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Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:
4 medium size Potatoes unpeeled
8 Cloves of Garlic whole unpeeled
½ cup butter
¾ cup whole Milk, warm

1. Toss the garlic cloves in olive oil and salt and pepper
2. Wrap in foil and roast in a 350 degreeF oven for about 45 mins or until completely tender
3. Boil the potatoes in salted water until cooked completely
4. Drain and peel
5. Then pass through a food mill along with the garlic and butter, into a clean pot
6. Slowly add the warm milk until you have the desired consistency
7. Season with salt and pepper

Dill Chimichurri

Ingredients:
1 tbsp caraway seeds, toasted
1 tbsp celery seeds, toasted
1 tbsp dill seeds, toasted
1 tbsp anise seeds, toasted
½ c white vinegar
4 cloves garlic
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped
½ c dill leaves, chopped
½ c parsley, washed and chopped
½ c extra vergin olive oil
2 tbsp pernod

1. Roughly grind all of the seeds, blend with the vinegar, garlic and chiles.
2. Purée.
3. Gently fold in the dill, parsley, oil and pernod.

Roasted Brussels sprouts and bacon

Ingredients:
1 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1/3 cup pine nuts
4 ounces slab bacon, cut into lardons
Parmigiano-reggiano, for topping

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the Brussels sprouts in half lengthwise, from top to bottom.
2. Toss the sprouts with olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the red pepper flakes on a baking sheet.
3. Put in the oven and roast until tender, about 20 minutes.
4. Toast the pine nuts on a separate baking sheet in the oven for the last 5 minutes of roasting the sprouts.
5. While the sprouts are roasting, put the bacon in a small saute pan with a splash of olive oil and bring the pan to medium heat.
6. Cook the bacon until crispy, 7 to 8 minutes.
7. Remove from the pan.

8. Using a peeler, shave a few slices of parmigiano on top.
9. Toss the roasted Brussels sprouts with the crispy bacon and toasted pine nuts.

Chocolate Mousse Cake

Chocolate Cake
1 1/4 cups sifted cake flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup buttermilk

Chocolate Mousse
200 grams of of dark chocolate
4 eggs
150 ml whipping cream (very cold)
4 tablespoons espresso
2 tablespoons rum
2 teaspoons sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. To prepare cake, grease an 8-inch springform pan, line bottom and side with parchment paper. Set aside.
3. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
4. In a standing mixer with paddle attachment, mix the butter until light and fluffy. Add sugar and continue mixing. Add eggs, one at a time. Continue beating for around 3 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternate to butter mixture.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
6. Bake for 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.Let cool completely.
7. To prepare mousse, make a double boiler and bring the water to a soft simmer. Put the chocolate in a heat resistant bowl and leave to melt. Put a mixing bowl in the freezer.
8. Split the eggs and whip the egg yolks with the sugar till it becomes light and creamy. Add the melted chocolate, rum and espresso.
9. Put the cream in the bowl that came out of the freezer and whip until it becomes stiff. Add the cream to the chocolate mixture and combine with a spatula until it becomes one liquid.
10. Beat the egg whites until it becomes stiff and forms peak and add that to the chocolate mixture.
11. Pour the chocolate mixture onto the cool cake. Juggle the pan lightly to level the top.
12. Keep in the refrigerator overnight before serving. Sprinkle chocolate shaves on top if wanted.

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Champagne-Soaked Berries

Ingredients:
½ cup Champagne or other sparkling wine
¼ cup agave nectar, divided
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 (16-ounce) package fresh strawberries, halved
2 (6-ounce) packages fresh blueberries
2 tablespoons of finely sliced fresh mint

1. Combine Champagne, 3 tablespoons agave, mint and rind in a large bowl.
2. Add berries; toss gently to combine.
3. Cover and chill 30 minutes.