Valentines Day Entertaining Guide & Menu

 

Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse to pull out all the stops and host an intimate dinner party. Maybe it’s a dinner party for all your single girlfriends or maybe it’s a romantic dinner for you and your valentine but either way you can’t go wrong with a beautifully set table, lush flowers, gold accents and of course platters overflowing with delicious food!
Today I’m really excited to share with you my full Valentine’s Day entertaining guide complete with a seasonally inspired menu and everything you’ll need to set a romantic table!

The Place Setting:
Gray linens create the perfect base this ultra light and romantic table setting. Gold accents combined with the pink and white florals make for a flirty set-up that is ideal for a V-Day soiree!

The Florals:
When creating an arrangement for a more romantic setting look for soft pink hues combined with lots of white and organic greenery. Hot pink anemones (they’re in season Oct-April) are the focal point of both the florals and the place settings and really stand out against the light pink and white stock.
Floral tip: if any of the flowers break or are cut too short, place them on each napkin so they don’t go to waste!

The Menu:
I wanted to create a seasonal menu centered around Coq au Vin- one of my favorite traditional French dishes. It’s always so flavorful thanks to the red wine and is one of those dishes that doesn’t take a whole lot of effort yet yields the most amazing melt-in-your mouth chicken. It pairs perfectly with Cauliflower and Parsnip Puree and Charred Broccolini.

White Bean & Arugula Crostini:
Crostini’s are one of my favorite appetizers. They’re fresh, easy and the topping possibilities are endless which makes them totally customizable to work with your menu. This White Bean & Arugula Crostini is the perfect starting point for your Valentine’s Day menu!
*keep reading for the recipe

Charred Broccolini:
Simple yet delicious! Sauté with lemon and garlic until the tops get a little charred- and you’re done! Hold onto this recipe, broccolini is great served along side just about any dish and it’s easy to find year round!
*keep reading for the recipe

Cauliflower & Parsnip Puree:
I don’t have enough words to describe just how good this puree is. I can’t get enough!! It’s perfect served under a heaping spoonful of the Coq au Vin and does a pretty great job at catching all of the excess sauce.
*keep reading for the recipe

Traditional Coq au Vin:
The ultimate comfort food dish! After braising in red wine for over an hour, the chicken is unbelievably flavorful and tender. Cooked with bacon, pearl onions, carrots and mushrooms, Coq au Vin takes just a few minutes to prepare before going into the oven to cook. Less time spent in the kitchen means more time spent with your Valentine!
*keep reading for the recipe

Drinks:
A dry red wine goes really well with this menu, think Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah or Pinot Noir. And, don’t forget the Champagne, this is Valentine’s Day after all!

Details:
I added a pale pink ribbon to add texture and design to a small gold julep vase. The ribbon flows along the table for an easy and eye-catching element and ties all the whole theme together.
White plates and serving platters are my go-to. They give a really bright and clean look, not to mention that food always looks the most appetizing on white!

The Menu

White Bean & Arugula Crostini:
Ingredients
– 1 can white cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed
– 1 cup arugula
– 2 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese
– 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
– 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
– zest and juice from 1 lemon
– pinch of red pepper flakes
– salt and pepper to taste
– baguette
Directions:
slice baguette into 1″ slices, toast until golden / in a bowl combine the white beans, arugula, olive oil, thyme, lemon zest and juice and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper/ Mix well / Spoon mixture on top of toasted baguette and top with goat cheese.

Charred Broccolini:
Ingredients:
– 1 bunch of broccolini
– 3 slices of lemon
– 2 cloves garlic, minced
– 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
– pinch of salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
In a sauté pan heat olive oil, add broccolini and lemon slices/ season with salt and pepper / sauté until ends begin to char- about 15 minutes on medium heat / add garlic and cook for 1 more minute/ serve warm.

Cauliflower & Parsnip Puree:
Ingredients:
– 1 small head cauliflower, cut into 1 inch pieces
– 1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
– 1 small white onion, chopped
– 2 cloves garlic
– 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
– 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
– salt and pepper
Directions:
In a 3 quart sauce pan, warm olive oil and sauté onion with a pinch of salt and pepper until translucent, about 5 minutes / add garlic, cauliflower and parsnips and sauté for 5 more minutes / add stock and bring to a boil, cover with lid reduce heat to medium, simmer for 15 minutes / remove lid and continue to simmer for 15 minutes / blend until smooth using an immersion blender or transfer to a food processor or blender and puree.

Coq au Vin:
adapted from Epicurious.com
Ingredients
– 2 pounds chicken thighs, seasoned with salt and pepper on each side
– 4 pieces thick cut bacon, cut cross wise into 1/2″ slices
– 4 carrots, peeled, chopped
– 1/2 cup frozen pearl onions
– 1 pound cremini mushrooms, cleaned and halved
– 4 cups dry red wine, such as Burgundy, divided
– 1/2 cup tomato paste
– 1 quart low-sodium chicken broth
– 6 sprigs thyme and 3 sprigs rosemary, tied together using kitchen twine
– extra virgin olive oil
– salt and pepper
– parsley to garnish
Directions: Heat oven to 350 degrees / In a dutch oven cook bacon until browned, about 7 minutes / Remove bacon but leave the grease and add the chicken thighs / cook for 3-5 minutes on each side or until browned / remove chicken and add onions, mushrooms, and carrots and a pinch of salt+pepper, sauté for 5 minutes / Sir in 1 cup red wine and tomato paste, simmer for 3 minutes and add the remaining wine. Bring to a boil and cook until wine is reduced by 1/2, about 15-20 minutes / Add chicken back to the pot / Add broth and rosemary + thyme sprigs/ Cover pot and transfer to oven / Braise for 1 hour or until chicken is tender./ transfer the pot back to the stove and remove chicken / bring to a boil and let the sauce reduce by 1/2- about 20-25 minutes/ Add chicken back in/ top with parsley and serve warm.

Get the look:

Photography by Cait Schlabach Photography