Two for two: Pasta recipes to wow your Valentine
So much has been written about pasta and whether or not it is good for us. The latest literature suggests it's best to use whole grain pastas, but Valentine's Day is when I throw caution to the wind and go for it big time.
What follows are two of my favorite Seriously Simple pasta recipes that will wow your partner. They take almost no time to prepare (a good-quality, store-bought fresh pasta cooks in just a couple of minutes in boiling, salted water). Keep in mind that the cooking time will be longer if you use dried pasta.
The first pasta dish incorporates luxurious smoked salmon and golden caviar in a simple cream sauce. If you can't find golden caviar, look for salmon caviar.
The other recipe is full of earthy, flavor-packed mushrooms. The port wine gives the mushrooms some oomph while the cream tames the flavors and brings them all together. And here's a tip for cooking with any mushroom dish: Add a touch of soy sauce to bring out the mushroom flavor.
Either of these pastas would make a stellar meal for your Valentine's Day menu. To drink? A good quality prosecco, California sparkling wine or Champagne will make your dinner a memorable celebration.
• Diane Rossen Worthington is an authority on new American cooking. She is the author of 18 cookbooks, including “Seriously Simple Parties.” You can contact her at www.seriouslysimple.com.