My Valentine’s Day with Sizzle

If Valentine’s Day were any other day of the week, a South of the Border Tampiqueña Surf -n-Turf is just what Hubby would want for Valentine’s Day. However, today is Friday. In this Traditional Catholic Home there’s a No Turf rule on Fridays.

That’s okay, I made this dish as an early Valentine’s Supper. And for Valentine’s Day, I’ll be serving up Dover Sole Piccata with Roasted Potatoes and Rosemary Asparagus. All recipes I’ve shared before. So Hubby gets two great romantic dinners this year. Isn’t God wonderful that way? Yes, I think God is the conductor of the music in our lives. It’s up to us to recognize this and choose to dance.

We have a quaint little Mexican Cantina at the edge of our neighborhood, easily within walking distance. We’ve talked about taking a stroll on a Saturday for lunch. In the eight plus years we’ve lived here, all we do is talk and never managed to take that walk. Personally, I’m not sure I could walk home after one of their amazing Margaritas. I don’t have the stamina or fortitude or whatever that Hubby and Kiddo have. What I do have is the ability to create Hubby’s favorite dish from that Cantina in the comfort of home for Valentine’s Day. While a Romantic Supper out on the town is nice, it’s only one night. The real magic happens in the hundreds of quiet hours together, and that’s what sustains us.

Tampiqueña Surf -n-Turf Platter

Verde Sauce – From Scratch
3 fresh Tomatillos
1 Garlic Clove
1/4 White Onion
2 Jalapeño Peppers
Salt to taste
Olive Oil as needed
1/3 cup Sour Cream
2 tablespoons Mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon Celery Seeds

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat with a little olive oil. Place the Tomatillos, onions and Jalapeños in the heated pan for about 5 minutes to roast. Add the garlic cloves and continue to cook until the Tomatillos are slightly browned.

Place the Tomatillo mixture into a blender. Season with salt. Blend until smooth.

Empty mixture into a small bowl. Add the sour cream and mayonnaise. Season with Celery Seeds. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Verde Sauce – Short Cut
1/2 cup Fire-Roasted Hot Tomatillo Salsa

Get a good quality, thick verde salsa to serve as desired.

For Serving Platter
8 whole Pickled Jalapeño Peppers
1/2 Yellow Onion
8 Flour Tortillas

Remove Jalapeño Peppers from the can, pat dry with paper towels. Peel and cut onion half-moon rings. In a small, dry pan lightly roast Jalapeño Peppers along with the onion slivers. Shake pan for even browning. Hold in the skillet until ready to serve.

While the onions and peppers roast, warm tortillas. Wrap the tortillas in foil and keep warm until ready to serve.

Chipotle Crème
1 (10 oz) can Ro-Tel Tomatoes with Lime
4 Chipotle Chilies from 4 oz can
2 tablespoons Adobo Sauce from can
2 Garlic Cloves
1 tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
1 tablespoon Mexican Table Crème
2 tablespoons Butter

Empty Ro-Tel Tomatoes into a blender. Add chipotle chilies and adobo Sauce. Blend until very smooth, set aside. Peel garlic, set aside.

In a saucepan over medium heat, warm olive oil. Press peeled garlic directly into the pan, sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Pour the tomato mixture into the pan. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes for the flavors to blend. Slowly add heavy cream to desired consistency. Whisk in the Mexican Table Crème. Off heat, add butter and let residual heat melt butter into the sauce for a silky finish.

Skirt Steak
5 tablespoons Hot Chili Sauce
2-1/2 tablespoons Lime Juice
1-1/2 teaspoons Red Pepper Flakes
1 teaspoon Salt
1-1/2 lbs Skirt Steak

In a small bowl, combine chili sauce, lime juice, red pepper flakes and salt. Set aside.

Spray broiler pan with cooking. Place flank steaks on the prepared ban, brush the steaks with the chili sauce mixture on one side. Turn the steak over and brush with additional chili mixture. Let rest on the counter for about 15 minutes.

Heat broiler. Broil steaks about 6 inches from the heat for about 3 minutes. Turn steaks over, brush again with chili mixture. Continue to broil another 2 minutes or until done to your liking.

Remove steaks from the broiler. Let meat stand for about 5 minutes, wrap in foil to keep warm until ready to serve.

Chipotle Scallops
12 large Sea Scallops
Ancho Pepper Seasoning to taste
Chipotle Seasoning to taste
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Butter

Pat scallops dry. Sprinkle with Ancho and Chipotle Seasonings to taste. Keep chilled until ready to cook.

When ready to sear combine olive oil and butter in a large, heavy bottom skillet over medium-high heat. Heat until the pan just begins to smoke.

Gently add scallops, making sure none are touching for even browning. Cook scallops for about 2 minutes, then turn and cook an additional 2 minutes or until both sides are golden brown, the scallops opaque and just cooked through. Take care not to over-cook scallops.

Remove skillet from heat. Drizzle a few tablespoons of Chipotle Cream Sauce over the scallops.

To Serve:
Arrange Jalapeño Peppers and onions down the center of a large serving platter.

On one side of the platter spoon some of the Chipotle Cream Sauce. Arrange scallops over the sauce.

On the other side of the platter, stack the Skirt Steak. Drizzle with just a little Salsa Verde.

Place Salsa Verde and Chipotle Crème in small bowls with ladles to use as desired. Serve with Mexican Rice, Refried Beans, warm tortillas and Margaritas.

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Blessed are those whoes sins are forgiven