Ina Garten’s Valentine’s Day Recipes

Valentine’s Day is less than 24 hours away. If you’re forgoing dinner reservations for a cozy night in, what better way to celebrate that special someone than with a romantic home-cooked meal?

You do not know what to do ? Ina Garten takes care of you. Over the past few days, the Food Network star has been sharing several Valentine’s Day recipes on Instagram. And good news, they’re all “Beginner” level and serve around four to six people, so you can enjoy your dinner leftovers beyond February 14th.

So grab a pen and paper and start making your grocery list because Barefoot Contessa’s 2023 Valentine’s Day menu is sure to impress.

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Kir Royale

“Nothing sets the mood like a delicious sparkling cocktail and a romantic playlist,” the host queen wrote on her Instagram.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

To prepare this festive red brew, simply pour crème de cassis (a blackcurrant liqueur) into a champagne flute, then fill the rest of the glass with prosecco or champagne. Quoting one of his catchphrases and popular book titles, Garten added, “Is it easy??”

Rack of lamb in a panko crust

For an easy and “absolutely delicious” main course, Garten recently shared her panko-crusted rack of lamb recipe. The meat, sprinkled with salt and pepper, is first roasted for exactly 12 minutes. It is then covered with a layer of Dijon mustard and a breadcrumb mixture of goat cheese, panko, garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper and olive oil. before returning to the oven for another 12 to 18 minutes.

To make this dish “more elegant,” Garten recommends asking your butcher to “French” the lamb, which means removing excess fat from the bones.

Mashed Potatoes & Roasted Broccolini

“When planning a menu, I always think about the flavors, colors and textures of the dishes together,” Garten shared on Instagram. To accompany your rack of lamb, the author of several cookbooks suggests two side dishes.

The first is creamy lemon mashed potatoes, made with just four ingredients: Yukon Gold potatoes, unsalted butter, milk, and grated lemon zest, plus salt and pepper. Since the lemon becomes bitter when it sits, Garten notes that the potatoes are best served the day they’re done. However, if you want to cook them ahead of time, she recommends making the mash without the zest and setting them aside at room temperature. You can reheat the potatoes in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, add hot milk as needed and finally whisk in the lemon zest just before serving.

The second side dish on the Garten’s Valentine’s Day menu is roasted broccolini. Drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper, the roasted green vegetable epitomizes simplicity and only takes about 15 minutes to cook in the oven.

Chocolate mousse

What meal would be complete without dessert? And for V-Day 2023, Garten is serving up decadence with an Easy Chocolate Mousse recipe. As a bonus, this dessert can be made ahead, which means, as the celebrity chef writes, “it’s ready when you are.”

To whip up the sweet treat, heat bittersweet chocolate, milk chocolate and espresso in a bowl over simmering water. Once melted and off the heat, add the Kahlúa and vanilla, and 15 minutes later, the egg yolks until all the ingredients are combined. You will then whip four egg whites with a pinch of salt, using an electric stand mixer or hand mixer until “soft peaks” form. Add half of the egg whites to the hot chocolate, then stir in the other half, along with a mixture of sugar and cream.

Refrigerate the mousse for at least two hours or overnight before topping with whipped cream, and you’re done!

Brianna Ruback