Thinking of what to eat can be daunting, especially when you are inviting someone special to your home 😉 it could really take a toll on your day.
Nonetheless, we have suggested three continental dish ideas for your romantic evening.
If you are feeling a bit foreign or you want to impress your special guest with your culinary skills, and even if you’re going to attract that someone into your life, don’t worry we have got you covered.
Check out the three continental dishes you can try for a beautiful evening.
1. Grilled steak with Greek Corn Salad
The first on our list is the grilled steak with Greek corn salad; trust me, it tastes better than it looks.
Although cube steaks (cut of beef that has been tenderized by machine) are not expensive, you can get them in any of the big supermarts close to you.
They are an excellent way to make midweek steak dinners achievable and with ease.
However, if you cannot get them in your local mart, you can pound a top-round steak with a meat mallet.
Moreover, a cube steak needs more than salt and pepper, and a quick spin on the grill before you serve it with grilled corn and vinaigrette.
What you need?
- 1 1/4 pounds cube steaks
- Two ears of corn (removed from the cob)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- One small red onion (diced)
- Two tablespoons chopped fresh oregano and mint (you can also use either of them)
- 1 peeled and cut English cucumber
- 1-pint grape or cherry tomatoes halved
- Two tablespoons red wine vinegar
- Three tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 4 ounces)
- One teaspoon honey
- 1/3 cup pitted green olives, sliced
How to prepare Grilled steak with Greek Corn Salad?
With just three simple steps, you will get your delicious grilled steak with Greek corn salad:
Step one:
Preheat a grill to high. Whisk the honey, olive oil, vinegar, herbs, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of pepper in a medium bowl (you can add more pepper to your mix, it depends on your preference). Also, remove two tablespoons of the vinaigrette to a large bowl; set aside. Add the cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, feta, and olives to the bowl with the remaining vinaigrette; toss to coat.
Step two:
Grill the corn, occasionally turning, until charred in spots, about 8 minutes; remove to a cutting board. While waiting for the 8 minutes, season the steaks with salt and pepper. You need to work in batches if necessary, grill the steaks until the edges start browning, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until browned on the other side, about 30 seconds. Move to the bowl with the reserved vinaigrette and toss to coat.
Step three:
Cut off the corn kernels and add to the salad. Serve the steak with the corn salad.
This delicious recipe is culled from Food Network Kitchen.
2. Spaghetti Alla Carbonara
If you are a fan of spaghetti just like me, then you should definitely try this second dish.
It is simple to recreate; start by sautéing salty pancetta with garlic, then mix eggs and Parmesan, this mixture act as a thickener, to make the sauce.
Stir into the hot pasta so that the eggs cook and the sauce cling to every strand of the spaghetti.
What you need?
- 1 pound dry spaghetti
- Two large eggs
- 4 ounces pancetta or slab bacon, cubed or sliced into small strips
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
- One handful of newly chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Four garlic cloves, finely chopped
- Two tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper
How to cook Spaghetti Alla Carbonara?
Step one:
While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce; to make sure the spaghetti will be hot and ready when the sauce is ready. Ensure the pasta is hot when pouring the egg mixture; the heat of the pasta cooks the raw eggs in the sauce.
Step two:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until it is tender but firm. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium flame. Add the pancetta and saute for about 3 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and the fat is rendered. Toss the garlic into the fat and saute for less than 1 minute to soften.
Once your pasta is cooked for 8-10 minutes, drain it well, you can keep aside 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water to use in the sauce if you wish.
Step three:
Add the hot, drained spaghetti to the pan and toss for 2 minutes to coat the strands in the bacon fat. Beat the eggs and Parmesan together in a mixing bowl, stirring well to prevent lumps. Secondly, remove the pan from the heat and pour the egg/cheese mixture into the pasta, whisk quickly until the eggs thicken, but do not scramble; remove from the heat before whisking the eggs to prevent getting scrambled eggs. Thin out the sauce with a bit of the reserved pasta water, until it reaches desired consistency. Season the carbonara with several turns of freshly ground black pepper and add salt to taste. Mound the spaghetti carbonara into warm serving bowls and garnish with chopped parsley. Pass more cheese around the table.
This delicious recipe is culled from Tyler Florence.
3. Buffalo Chicken Enchiladas
Last but not least on our list is the buffalo chicken enchiladas; it is as easy as ABC.
Stuff corn tortillas with a cheesy buffalo chicken filling for a mashup, your special guest will give any excuse just to have your dish again.
What you need?
- Three tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing the pan
- 2 cups shredded Cheddar
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 1 cup hot sauce, plus more for serving, such as Frank’s
- One bunch of scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
- Two tablespoons crumbled blue cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 16 corn tortillas
- Two tablespoons blue cheese dressing
How to Cook Buffalo Chicken Enchiladas?
Step one:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, and then mix the chicken, cream cheese, 1 cup of the Cheddar, 1/3 cup of the hot sauce, white parts of the scallions, and cumin in a large bowl until well combined. Stir together the butter, remaining 2/3 cup hot sauce, and three tablespoons of water in a medium bowl.
Step two:
Microwave the tortillas in batches until warm, softened, and foldable, about 30 seconds. Keep warm between damp paper towels.
Step three:
Spoon a portion of the chicken mixture down the middle of each tortilla and roll-up. Place them side by side, seam-side down, in the prepared pan. Pour the hot sauce mixture over the tortillas. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup Cheddar and the blue cheese and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly, 15 to 17 minutes.
Step four:
Drizzle the blue cheese dressing over the enchiladas and sprinkle with the scallion greens. Serve with more hot sauce.
This delicious recipe is culled from Food Network Kitchen.
There you have it; three continental dish ideas for your romantic evening. However, you can also check out seven healthy breakfasts to start your day.
