Chef Ryan Scott's Valentine's Day Feast

Impress your loved one with these delicious Valentine's Day recipes from Chef Ryan Scott:

• Apple-Honey Glazed Roasted Pork Loin

Ingredients:

1 (4-pound) brined, boneless Pork Loin

2 tablespoons Corn Oil

Pinch of Salt

Pinch of Pepper

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Place the pork loin on a rack in a roasting pan and massage the oil over the entire surface of the pork loin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. Roast the pork for 30 minutes, and then reduce the heat to 425 degrees and roast for an additional hour. Brush with Apple-Honey glaze during the last 10 minutes of roasting. Test for doneness using an instant-read thermometer. When the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees, remove the roast from the oven. Allow it to sit for about 20 minutes before carving.

Ingredients for Apple-Honey Glaze:

1/2 c. frozen Apple Juice Concentrate, thawed

2 tablespoon Cider Vinegar

1 tablespoon Barenjager Honey Liqueur

1 teaspoon Soy Sauce

1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard

1/4 teaspoon Paprika

½ teaspoon dried Thyme

1/4 tsp. ground Black Pepper

Method:

1. Add together apple juice concentrate, cider vinegar, Barenjager, Dijon, soy sauce, paprika, thyme, pepper and bring to a boil then simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the glaze coats the back of the spoon.

• Apple-Walnut Chutney

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon Unsalted Butter

1 tablespoon Walnut Oil

¼ cup Onion, small dice

2 tablespoons Light Brown Sugar

1 tablespoon, plus 1 ½ teaspoons Honey

3 Granny Smith Apples (approximately 1 ½ pounds total weight), peeled, cored, and cut into ½ inch cubes.

¼ cup Sherry Vinegar

¼ cup Walnuts, chopped and lightly toasted in a sauté pan over low heat for 5 minutes.

½ teaspoon Salt

½ teaspoon freshly Ground Black Pepper

Method:

1. Put the butter and walnut oil in a medium-sized sauté pan and warm over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté, uncovered, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

2. Turn the heat up to high and add the sugar and honey. Sauté for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

3. Reduce the heat to low and add the apples and sherry vinegar. Bring to a boil and continue to boil until the vinegar has reduced by two-thirds, about 10 minutes. Add the walnuts and cook an additional 5 minutes. Remove the pan from heat, stir in the salt and pepper, cover to keep warm, and set aside. Store in a sealed container for up to a week.

• Celery Root Puree

Ingredients:

1 pound Celery Root, diced

3 tablespoons heavy Cream

1 tablespoon Cooking Liquid

¼ teaspoon Sugar

1 ounce Butter

½ tablespoon Salt

Method:

Place celery root in a pot and cover with water and bring to a boil and simmer till tender. Once cooked through, strain off liquid and reserve a little for the puree. Place all the ingredients with the celery root in a Cuisinart and pulse until smooth. Strain thru a double mesh strainer and adjust seasoning.

• Beef Tenderloin Steaks with Dijon-Cognac Sauce

Ingredients:

6 (7- to- 8 ounce) Beef Tenderloin Steaks (about 1 ½ inch thick, each)

Coarse Kosher Salt

Cracked Black Pepper

3 tablespoons Canola Oil

6 tablespoons chilled Unsalted Butter, divided

4 Garlic Cloves, peeled, smashed

2 fresh Thyme sprigs

2 fresh Rosemary sprigs


Ingredients for Dijon-Cognac Sauce:

1 cup finely Chopped Shallots

½ cup JC Cognac

2 tablespoons Tawny Port

3 cups Low-Sodium Chicken Broth

2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 250°F. Sprinkle steaks on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over high heat. Add steaks and sear until brown, about 2 minutes per side. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add 3 tablespoons butter, garlic, thyme, and rosemary to skillet. Cook steaks to desired doneness turning occasionally and basting with pan juices, about 12 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer steaks to small rimmed baking sheet and keep warm in oven.

2. Pour contents of skillet into small bowl. Return 3 tablespoons drippings from bowl to same skillet and place over high heat. Add shallots and sauté 2 minutes. Add Cognac and Port and stir 1 minute, scraping up any browned bits. Add broth and boil until sauce is reduced to 1 cup, about 12 minutes. Whisk in Dijon mustard, then remaining 3 tablespoons cold butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

3. Arrange steaks on plates; whisk any accumulated juices from baking sheet into sauce. Spoon sauce over steaks and serve.

• Vanilla Bean & Honey Crème Brulee (infused with Lavender)

Ingredients:

2 ¼ cups Heavy Cream

¾ cup Milk

3 to 4 Lavender Sprigs (or 1 1/2 tablespoons Dried Lavender), plus Lavender Blossoms for garnish

1 Vanilla Bean, split and scraped

8 Egg Yolks

½ cup Sugar plus about 4 tablespoons Sugar for sprinkling

2 tablespoons Barenjager Honey Liqueur

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the cream and milk in a medium saucepan and add the lavender and vanilla seeds (including the pod). Bring to a boil and turn off the heat. Let the lavender and stems steep for about 15 minutes or until the milk has a lavender flavor. (For a stronger flavor, allow to steep longer.)

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar until smooth. Add Barenjager and whisk into the lavender-cream mixture. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and skim off any foam. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

3. Pour the mixture into 6 ramekins or crème brûleé dishes. Set the ramekins in a baking dish and add enough hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the baking dish with foil and place in the oven. Bake for 40 minutes or until set. (Test for doneness by jiggling the ramekins.) Remove the baking dish from the oven and allow the ramekins to cool in the water bath for 5 minutes. Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.

Before serving, sprinkle the tops with a thin layer of sugar and caramelize with a small torch or under a broiler set on high. Garnish each crème brûleé with lavender blossoms.

• Frisky Whiskey

Ingredients:

1 part Michael Collins Irish Whiskey

1 part Barenjager Honey Liqueur

1 part fresh Orange Juice

¼ parts Simple Syrup

2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Method:

Mix ingredients over ice and serve on the rocks.

Valentine’s Morning Cocktails

• Sweet Rose Tea

Ingredients:

1 bag Rose Tea

½ oz Barenjager Honey Liqueur

Method:

Place 1 bag of Rose flavored Tea in hot water and let steep. Add .5 oz of Barenjager Honey Liqueur and serve hot in mug.

• Sparking Plum Mimosa

Ingredients:

3 parts Zipang Sparkling Sake

1 part Gekkeikan Plum Wine

Method:

Mix and serve in a champagne flute

• Greek Yogurt and Mixed Berry Parfait

Ingredients:

1 large container Greek Yogurt

1 large container Granola

1 container of mixed berries

1 teaspoon Barenjager Honey Liqueur

Method:

Layer Greek yogurt, granola and mixed berries to preference. Top each parfait with 1 teaspoon of Barenjager Honey Liqueur.

• Fried Egg Sandwich with Tomato Jam

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 Eggs, fried over easy

2 English Muffins, toasted

2 teaspoons Mayonnaise


2 leaves of Romaine Lettuce

4 slices White Cheddar Cheese

2 slices Bacon, cooked

1 Tablespoon Tomato Jam (see recipe below)

Ingredients for Tomato Jam:

4 cups Yellow Onion, small dice

1/2 cup Ginger, minced

2 Tablespoons Garlic, minced

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

6 pounds Tomatoes, blanched and diced

2 cups White Balsamic vinegar

1 ½ cups Brown Sugar

2 each Cinnamon Stick

2 tablespoons Salt

Method for Jam:

Pre-heat oven to 300° F. Sweat onions, ginger, garlic and olive oil in large sauce pan over medium heat until the onions are tender and soft (5 to 10 minutes). Add tomatoes, vinegar, brown sugar, cinnamon stick and salt, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, cover with a lid and bake for two hours or until the mixture is thick and jam-like. You may have to adjust seasoning with more salt or sugar to your liking; it all varies on the tomatoes.

For egg sandwiches: assemble all ingredients above and enjoy!

• Chocolate Chip Pancakes with Macadamia Nut and Whiskey Sauce

Ingredients for Pancakes:

1 cup Flour

2 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/2 cup Milk

4 teaspoons Vanilla extract

2 Eggs

1/2 cup Chocolate Chips

Ingredients for Sauce:

1/4 cup Milk

1/4 cup Butter

1/3 cup Brown Sugar

1/3 cup toasted crushed Macadamia Nuts

1 tablespoon Michael Collins Irish Whiskey

Method:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine, flour, baking powder milk, vanilla and egg. Mix thoroughly (batter will be lumpy).

2. Use a ladle to portion pancake onto a nonstick griddle and stud pancakes with chocolate chips. Cook until both sides of pancake are golden brown and the edges stop bubbling. Remove to a plate and keep warm.

3. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, milk and sugar. Whisk until smooth and sugar is dissolved. Add macadamia nuts, whiskey and whisk for about 2 minutes. Serve sauce over warm pancakes.