Kiss the Cook on Valentine’s Day

BY KARLA JONES SEIDITA, HOME ECONOMIST

One bite of this easy-on-the-cook, Valentine’s Day dinner and your true love will cover you in kisses. The menu is a love feast of romantic flavors that waltz from course to course and end in a symphony of sweet surrender. It’s enough to make Cupid blush.

“Kiss the Cook Menu”

Quick Crab Bisque

Buttered Biscuits

Engagement Chicken

Honeyed Carrots

Wild Rice

Hearts of Palm and Fresh Greens Salad

Champagne Vinaigrette

White Chocolate Cheesecake

Espresso/Raspberry Tea

Quick Crab Bisque

You’ll find this recipe hard to believe and embarrassingly easy. Canned soup. A bouillon cube. A bit of cream and some crab. Whisk it all together and, like magic, you’ve got the very same, gorgeously delicious crab bisque that’s served in expensive restaurants. Good the day it’s made - better the next. This is bisque at its best.

SERVES 4 TO 6

INGREDIENTS

1 (10.75 oz.) can tomato soup (like Campbell’sundiluted)

½ cup split pea soup (like Amy’s - undiluted)

¾ cup chicken broth

1 chicken bouillon cube

½ cup heavy cream

8 oz. crabmeat (plus any liquid in the container)

1 ½ teaspoons brown sugar

¼ cup cream sherry

1/8 teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

DIRECTIONS

Whisk everything together in a medium pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer till the flavors get to know each other and the bouillon cube dissolves - about 3 minutes. Add a smidge more broth if you’d like it thinner.

PAIRS WELL WITH: CHARDONNAY

DuCard Vineyards 2021 Whetstone Chardonnay ($36) pairs beautifully with this bisque. Produced completely in stainless steel and hailing from its Whetstone Run vineyard, this Chardonnay expresses vibrant tropical notes and a hint of smokiness. ducardvineyards.com