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Smoked Pork Chops with Fancy Potatoes and Pomegranate
Serve with Hanzell “Sebella” Pinot Noir 2009
This is the ultimate easy meal that looks so fancy. Using pre-smoked pork chops adds a ton of flavor and saves you time and extra steps because they are already fully cooked. To keep in line with our Valentine’s theme, pomegranate seeds add a pop of red color and a punch of sweetness.
Ingredients
1-2 large Idaho potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
4 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
1 large shallot, finely minced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup half and half
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 smoked pork chops
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add carrots and cook for 5 minutes. Add potatoes and continue to cook for 7-10 minutes until vegetables are fork tender. Drain. Immediately add potatoes to a ricer and process into a large bowl. In a seperate bowl do the same with carrots.
Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon butter to a small skillet. Add shallots and garlic. Cook over medium heat until they are soft and translucent, 4-5 minutes. Add half of the mixture to the riced carrots and half to the riced potatoes.
Add remaining butter and half and half to the potatoes and carrots (splitting the amount between the two). Mix each until combined and fluffy. Add to a warm oven to keep temperature until you’re ready to serve.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork chops to sear, 4-5 minutes per side until a brown crust forms. Remove from pan, allow to rest before serving.
Turn off heat on the pan and add 1/4 cup water to deglaze. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the brown bits on the bottom of the pan, creating a simple pan sauce.
While the meat is resting, begin to plate your potatoes and carrots. Add two large scoops of potatoes to each serving plate in the center of the plate, diagonal from each other. Add two small scoops of carrot in between the potatoes to create a circle. With a knife, swirl the potatoes and carrots together, making a tie-dyed design.
To plate add pork chop on top of the potatoes. Add 1 tablespoon of the pan sauce and generously sprinkle with pomegranate seeds.
Blood Oranges with Cinnamon Goat Cheese
Serve with Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc 2009
Let’s start this romantic meal off with a pop of color and flavor. The citrus and sweet taste of the blood oranges brings out the best in a creamy, tangy goat cheese – just like you bring out the best in your partner.
Ingredients
1 blood orange, peeled and segmented
1/2 cup goat cheese, at room temperature
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Whole grain crackers
In a small bowl, mix goat cheese and cinnamon until well combined. Using two spoons form into an oval shape and add to the center of your serving platter.
Add oranges and crackers to the plate. Simple as that!
Raspberry Grapefruit Napoleon
Serve with Champagne Billecart-Salmon Brut Reserve
It’s Valentine’s Day, why not go all the way with it and serve a pink and red dessert. 
Ingredients
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 pink grapefruit, peeled and segmented
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons arrowroot
1 sheet frozen puffed pastry, thawed
Flour for dusting
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup superfine sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
Add raspberries and 1 tablespoon honey to a blender. Add 1/4 cup water. Puree until smooth, adding more water, 1 tablespoon at a time until sauce reaches your desired thickness. Pour into a small bowl and set aside.
Add grapefruit, remaining tablespoon of honey and arrowroot to the blender. Puree until smooth. Set aside in a small bowl.
On a lightly floured board, roll out puffed pastry sheet. With a cookie cutter of your choice, cut out 6 shapes.
Place on a parchment covered baking sheet. Poke gently with a fork, just a few times per shape. Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 5 minutes.
Add whipping cream to a blender and beat until soft peaks form. Add sugar and almond extract. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form.
Layer dessert on the serving plate; raspberry sauce first, then pastry, then whipped cream (be generous with this). Once you’ve formed three layers, drizzle generously with raspberry and grapefruit syrup.
