Valentine's Day Dinner

Instead of the usual post where I include one component of a meal, I've decided to post a few possible valentine's day menus. This first one is spectacular if both you and your special someone enjoy salmon. Ironically, my special someone who I cook everything dairy free for hates salmon so I will not be using this on valentine's day. However, I love this meal so much I'm preparing it for myself! I'm going to post several different possible meals including the one that I am preparing but this is the first and the truly spectacular part of this is that a lot of it can be done ahead! Also, don't think I've forgotten about those dairy free desserts. Those will be coming soon.

The menu:
"Grilled" (winter grilling = broiling for me) Wild Sockeye Salmon with a balsamic port reduction sauce
Wild Rice with red wine poached pears

Okay so the first thing I suggest doing for this meal is making the reduction sauce. Reduction sauces are great for a few reasons. They are extremely easy to make and can be easily rectified if a mistake is made. Since reduction sauces are boiled to evaporate the water and concentrate the flavor, they pack a huge flavor punch. Finally, whereas a good number of sauces have a fat base (such as a roux), reduction sauces are lower in calories and fat.

You need:
Olive oil for the pan
1/2 onion VERY FINELY diced
2 cloves of garlic diced into almost a puree
2 cups port wine
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

Balsamic Port Reduction:
Get out a sauce pan and heat over medium-high heat with enough olive oil to coat the pan. Once the pan is hot, put in the onions and cook until golden and translucent. Then, add the garlic, stir, and cook for a minute just until that intense garlic aroma hits you. Increase the heat to high and pour in the port and chicken broth and boil for about 20 minutes or so until the liquid has substantially reduced (about half) and is beginning to thicken. Now, pour in the balsamic vinegar and continue to boil for another 5-7 minutes until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. Taste to make sure it is flavorful enough. If it is still lacking in intensity, boil a few more minutes. If it is too strong for your liking, you can simply add a little more chicken broth and reduce until it is where you want it. Once it's ready, take it off the heat and strain into a glass bowl. Then, when the sauce has come to room temperature you can cover and refrigerate until ready.

Red wine poached pears:
3/8 cup red wine (6 tablespoons)
1 bartlett pear
1/2 cinnamon stick
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

Peal and halve the pears and remove the cores. In a small pot, add the red wine, cinnamon stick, and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to medium and add the pear halves. Simmer for about ten minutes and then turn and simmer for an additional ten minutes.

Remove from heat and put the pears in an airtight container with the poaching liquid and refrigerate until you're ready to assemble dinner.

Wild Rice:
Cook your rice according to package instructions. When the rice is cooked, dice the pears and stir into the rice (about 2/3 cup of rice for two people). Add a little of the liquid for taste and keep warm until dinner.

Salmon:
I love grilled salmon but since we have had an impressively aggressive winter, I'm going to refrain from brushing the ice and snow off the grill and stick to broiling. Place a rack about 6 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler. Place the salmon filets on the broiler pan and brush with the balsamic port reduction. Depending on the size of your filets, cook until the fish is just firm basting once again in the middle of the cooking.