A Joe and Kirsten Valentine's Dinner Extravaganza

So yesterday was valentine's, and the very most important thing on this day is not roses, chocolates, or jewelery, but to spend time with your loved ones.  This day should not be all about what you get or have to give to someone.... Anyhoo,  though joe and I don't like to make a huge hullaballoo about this alleged holiday (as seen from my mild rant above), we do feel the need to of course spend this day together (thus we decided to cook an extravagant dinner for two), and gives an excuse to perhaps splurge on some fancier ingredients and more take more time constructing recipes than we might normally try.  What we decided to make was homemade Artichoke and Goat cheese Raviolis in a Mushroom Ragout, paired with a Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon, and for dessert Fried Ravioli filled with Nutella and served with whipped cream and fresh berries.  Needless to say this was quite a meal and a super fun production (and honestly was surprisingly easy!).  There was of course the mishaps that began when we could not for the life of us get are darn raviolis to stay together when they boiled.  Low and behold, joe came up with a architectural difference in the wrapping of said ravioli, that then worked beautifully (he was a culinary genius in the kitchen last night!).  So without further ado, Valentines Recipe's For Two!

Artichoke and Goat Cheese Raviolis

in a Creamy Citrus Mushroom Ragout

Ingredients

• Wanton Wrappers (find them in your grocers' refrigerated section, often near the  fresh vegetables)

The Filling

(makes at least 48 raviolis)

• Two 8 oz jars of Marinated Artichoke Hearts (Diced)
• 16 oz of goat cheese
• 4 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 1/3 cup of whole milk Ricotta cheese
• two egg yolks (put the egg whites into a separate bowl to the side add a tblspn of water and mix, will use for sealing the edges of the raviolis)
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Mix all of your ingredients above, in medium size bowl, and set to the side.
2. Bring large pot of water to boil, and begin filling your raviolis.
3. Take one of the wanton wrappers, and using a pastry brush, brush the edges with your egg whites. 
4. Using a Teaspoon (for eating) add about half a teaspoon of your filling to the wanton.  Make sure that you place it a little off center towards the upper edge.  Now take that upper edge and fold over towards bottom (you will now have a rectangle).  Making sure your filling is not squishing out, seal the edges together (should have a couple centimeters of just the dough on three sides of the filling), fold these edges over onto themselves, then using the prongs of the fork, press the edges down being careful not to puncture where the filling is.  If you seem to be having trouble getting it to have a couple centimeter edge, use less filling.
5. Place each ravioli onto a cookie sheet that has been lightly oiled (you do not want them to stick to the sheet nor to each other).  Once you have made as many raviolis as you would like you can start placing them into a pot of lightly salted boiling water.  If using a large pasta pot you can probably cook about 8-10 at a time.  Use a slotted spoon to extract the raviolis from the water once they float to the top (should take a matter of minutes), get excess water off, and place onto another oiled cookie sheet.
6. With the amount of filling you have made, you can make around 48 raviolis (maybe more).  You certainly do not have to make all of them at once.  As long as the wanton wrappers are kept in a tightly sealed container in the fridge (for up to seven days) or frozen for long time use, and the filling can either be refrigerated for at least a week, or frozen for long term use as well. 

Mushroom Ragout
(if making the full 48 raviolis, you might want to increase your ingredients by 1.5, if you like a ton of sauce)

Ingredients

• 16 oz baby portabella mushrooms (chopped roughly)
• 16oz of shitake mushrooms (chopped roughly)
• 1/3 cup of fresh basil (finely chopped)
• 3 tblsp butter
• 3 shallots (chopped fine)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• juice of one lemon
• 1 cup of half and half or whipping cream
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan/romano cheese, and extra to sprinkle later

1. In large saucepan (with high sides).  Melt butter over medium heat.  Once completely melted add your shallots and garlic.  Let sweat for a few minutes.
2. Add all of your mushrooms, the basil, and your juice of one lemon, salt and pepper to taste. Mix and cover for 3-5 minutes.
3. Add your cup of cream and mix thoroughly.
4. Add parmesan and again stir well.  Leave uncovered, simmering over low heat for about 15 minutes or until your are ready to plate.

Place your raviolis on a large platter and spoon your mushroom ragout evenly over the top.  Sprinkle with the excess Parmesan/Romano cheese.  Serve immediately.

Bacon Wrapped Filets
pre-heat oven to 400 F

• Two thick cut filets 8-16 oz
• thick cut bacon, (preferably pepper bacon)
• garlic salt
• ground pepper
• toothpicks
• Olive oil

1. Wrap your bacon around the edge of your filet, tightly.  Hold in place with one or two toothpicks
2. If your bacon is not peppered, then place some ground pepper onto a plate and roll the filet, bacon side, in it.
3. Then garlic salt and pepper each side of the filet, pressing it down into the meat.
4. Bring a pan of olive oil up to a sizzle.
5. Place your filets bacon side into the pan.  Let cook until golden brown, and then flip so that all of the bacon around the filet is golden brown.
6. Then sear the top and bottom of your Filet.
7. Place onto a cookie sheet (or if your pan is oven proof), and onto middle rack of oven.
8. If you like medium rare to rare, and is a thick cut, probably only need to be in for about 15 minutes (tops).
9. Take steak out, place onto plates, and let sit for 5 minutes so juices do not leak out once cut into.

Fried Nutella Raviolis

• Wanton wrappers
• 1 egg white (with 1/2 tblsp water)
• nutella
• powdered sugar (for dusting tops of raviolis)
• vegetable oil/crisco (for frying)
• assortment of fresh berries, (blackberries, blue berries, strawberries)
• Whipped cream (either freshly whipped or out of the can)

1. Melt your crisco in a pot of small to medium size, depending on how many raviolis you need to make.  They fry up quickly so you can use a smaller pot with about 2 cups of crisco melted, if only make 10-12...if more might want to use a bigger pot. (bring this up to frying temp)
2. Take wanton wrapper, and egg white the edges with a pastry brush.
3. Using about half a teaspoon of nutella place slightly off center more towards one corner of the wanton.
4. Then bring this upper edge over towards the bottom corner (forming a triangle).  Make sure you have a couple centimeters of just dough around the filling, seal edges using fingers.  Fold these edges onto themselves, and using prongs of a fork press down.
5. Place these into oil, and fry until lightly golden on both sides (will have to flip the ravioli so each side is golden, do so using slotted spoon).
6. Place raviolis onto plate, covered in paper towel to soak up excess oil.
7. Once all raviolis are done, and cooled, sprinkle powdered sugar over the tops.
8. Serve on plate with whipped cream and mixed berries.

Voila' ENJOY!