Big Bowl of Love’s Cristina Ferrare teaches all to set the mood with this elegant array of tasty treats. Your loved one couldn’t help but feel the love after you prepare these special dishes. As CF comes up on her 25th anniversary, she is assisted in the kitchen by actor, Dan Cortese, who was rounding up on 16 years with his lovely wife. Love is in the air…..Cristina style!
What’s on today’s menu?
- Sea Bass with Miso Soy Glaze and Cucumber Salsa
- Lemon Angel Hair Pasta
- Chocolate Covered Strawberries
The recipes on this episode were fantastic! The balance was just perfect. A nice fish, a little pasta and who can resist chocolate covered strawberries? More importantly…who would? The recipes on today’s episode are so simple, yet you will look as if you had a crash course at the Culinary Institute. If they don’t love you yet…they will after this!
Now for a few BBOL tips:
- It is always important to salt water you boil your pasta in. It helps to release the flavor.
- Pull your pasta out with tongs, don’t strain it. The water will help it not dry out.
- Remove garlic after a bit so that the fish doesn’t taste bitter.
- Sea bass cooking times: about 2 ½ minutes on each side and then let it steam about 5 minutes in the sauce.
- The sauce is potent so don’t put too much of it on because it can be too overbearing.
- Toasting the sesame seeds helps them to release their natural oils.
- If you don’t have a double-boiler, don’t worry. Just take a bowl that fits tightly over a small pot. Fill the water in the pot, cover and you are god to go.
- Wash your strawberries first and set them on a paper towel. Try to remove any water. If they are too wet, the chocolate won’t stick.
- When dipping, grab the strawberry by the stem, dip it and twist it. The chocolate will cover it nicely.
- Great suggestion for plating your strawberries. Put chocolate dots around the rim of the plate. Take a toothpick and drag it through the centers of the dots pulling in one direction. This will make the dots look like connected hearts. Too cute.
Here are a couple of my OWN suggestions:
- If you feel creative, play around with making different kinds of chocolate covered strawberries. After the initial dip, roll them in nuts or tiny chocolate morsels. Heat up a little white chocolate and drizzle it over the finished ones. Even a little coarse sugar and cinnamon is nice!
- You can always choose an array of fruits such as apples, pears, bananas, and even cherries.
- When spinning your pasta to plate it, use a larger fork. It is much easier to handle.
Put your apron on and share the love with these heart-warming recipes!
Links to OWN for the recipes:
http://www.oprah.com/own-cristinas-big-bowl-of-love/Sea-Bass-and-Cucumber-Salsa-Recipe
http://www.oprah.com/own-cristinas-big-bowl-of-love/Lemon-Angel-Hair-Pasta-Recipe
http://www.oprah.com/own-cristinas-big-bowl-of-love/Chocolate-Covered-Strawberries-Recipe