Romantic Grilled Valentine’s Day Foods To Try

Coronavirus may still put a crimp in your Valentine’s Day meal plans if you were considering going to your favorite restaurant. You will want to check now — today — to see if the restaurant is open and you will want to make reservations to ensure you get a seat. If you’re planning to stay home with your loved ones, then we have some ideas for quick and easy and delicious meals you can make together and cook on the grill.

In fact, if you’re planning a romantic Valentine’s Day with loved ones in and around the pool or in your outdoor living space these recipes might just inspire your menu options!

These recipe ideas are unique, easy to cook and some may even have aphrodisiac qualities that can set the mood with your loved ones and could be something you talk about until the next time!

Romantic Grilled Valentine’s Day Foods To Try

Start with this grilled oyster shooter appetizer

Oysters are associated with the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite, and are rich in zinc which has been found to increase testosterone. Oysters contain dopamine known to increase libido. It is also a food that you can eat in a very seductive manner.

Ingredients:

1. Eight fresh oysters in shells
2. 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
3. Three tablespoons Worchestershire sauce
4. Hot pepper sauce and salt to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the outdoor grill.
2. In a small mixing bowl, combine the lemon juice, Worchestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce and salt until well blended.
3. Set the sauce aside.
4. Place the whole oyster on the hot grill on direct heat. Grill for about 5 minutes, or until oysters open and the juices start sizzling on the hot coals.
5. Remove the oysters from the grill and pry off the top shell.
6. Slide a knife between the oyster and the shell to disconnect it from the shell.
7. Arrange the oysters on a plate.
8. Top each one with a teaspoon of the sauce.
9. Serve while still warm. Source: AllRecipes

Grilled Fennel Salad

Source: CookingChannel

Ingredients:

1. One fennel bulb, trimmed with the fronds reserved
2. One tablespoon olive oil plus additional for drizzling
3. One large orange
4. 1/2 small red onion
5. Handful of small black olives, pitted
6. Handful toasted pine nuts
7. Zest and juice of 1 lemon

Directions

1. Preheat the outdoor grill.
2. Cut the fennel bulb into 1/4-inch thick slices.
3. Toss the fennel slices lightly in olive oil.
4. Grill the fennel slices until they are golden and tender on both sides.
5. Remove them from the grill and arrange them on a serving platter.
6. Using a fine grater, grate the zest of the whole orange into a small bowl. Set this aside.
7. Slice the orange in half. With a sharp knife, peel away the white pith from 1/2 of the orange, making sure that it is completely removed. Cut the orange into sections and arrange these over the fennel slices.
8. Take the remaining half of the orange and squeeze the juice over the whole salad, taking care that no seeds fall into the salad.
9. Slice the onion into paper thin slices. Lightly toss the onion slices in the lemon juice and arrange this over the salad.
10. Scatter the olives and toasted pine nuts over the salad. Drizzle the lemon juice and olive oil over the salad. Garnish with the orange zest, lemon zest, and fennel fronds, and serve.

For your main course serve Lamb Lollipops with Warm Mint Pesto

No grilled Valentine’s Day dinner would be complete without a bit of grilled meat, so this recipe is a showstopper. The fresh mint pesto not only helps cut through the rich meat of the lamb but also contains mint, garlic, red pepper and pine nuts, all of which have been found to be great aphrodisiac foods.

Ingredients:

1. One Frenched rack of lamb with 6-8 rib bones
2. Two tablespoons butter
3. 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4. 1 teaspoon coarse or kosher salt
5. 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
6. 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
7. 1 clove garlic
8. 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
9. 1/4 cup pine nuts
10. 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
11. 2 Tablespoon water

Directions:

1. Preheat your outdoor grill on medium heat.
2. Add the parsley, mint, red pepper, garlic, pine nuts, 1/4 cup olive oil, vinegar, and water into a food processor. Pulse the ingredients until it forms a thick sauce.
3. Season with salt to taste.
4. Cut the rack of lamb between each of the rib bones to make small chops. Trim off the excess fat. Drizzle both sides of the rib bones with olive oil and season with salt.
5. Grill the chops for 5 minutes on each side, flipping once. Take these off the grill and wrap in aluminum foil. Let the chops rest for 10 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, transfer the mint pesto mixture into a small saucepan and add the butter. Place on the grill and gently stir in the butter until it is completely melted, taking care that the butter does not split in the pesto mixture.
7. To serve, arrange 3-4 chops onto a plate. Drizzle a little bit of the mint pesto over the chops.
8. Transfer the remaining pesto into a small bowl and serve on the side. Source: FunnyLoveBlog

If you prefer fish for your meal, try Ginger Orange Glazed Salmon

Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids which help lower blood cholesterol levels. But did you know that omega-3 fatty acids also help maintain sex hormone production at optimum levels? Add a little bit of garlic to improve your stamina and ginger to increase your libido, and this grilled recipe will get you all ready for one hot night.

Ingredients:

1. One lb. salmon fillet
2. 1 Tablespoon orange zest
3. 1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and grated
4. 1 Tablespoon stone ground mustard
5. 1 clove garlic, finely minced
6. 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
7. 3 Tablespoons grapeseed or olive plus more for drizzling
8. 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
9. Blood orange circles for garnish

Directions:

1. In a small mixing bowl, combine the orange zest, ginger, mustard, garlic, orange juice, and 1 tablespoon of oil. Whisk these together until well combined.
2. Place the salmon fillet in a large zip-lock bag and pour the marinade into it, making sure that the salmon is well covered by the marinade. Allow this to marinate for at least 1 hour.
3. Fire up your grill while waiting for the salmon to marinade so that it reaches 350 degrees. If you’re using a charcoal barbecue grill, make a well in the center of the grill so that there is room for the salmon to grill on indirect heat.
4. Take out the salmon from the zip-lock bag and sprinkle with sea salt. Place the salmon skin side down on direct heat. Allow this to grill for about 6 minutes or until the skin is crispy.
5. Flip the salmon carefully, placing it on the indirect heat. Allow this to grill until the fish is cooked through.
6. Place the salmon fillet on a plate. Garnish with the blood orange slices and serve. Source: TheRoastedRoot

… and for dessert… Grilled Figs with Mascarpone and Smoked Chocolate Ganache

Source: AboutFood

Figs and chocolate don’t only go well in terms of flavor. They are also both very potent aphrodisiacs. Legend has it that figs were one of Cleopatra’s favorite foods. With her being able to snag the mighty Julius Caesar and Marc Antony, feasting on figs for dessert is definitely worth a try.

Ingredients:

1. Six ripe figs
2. two to three barbecue skewers
3. 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese
4. 1 1/2 cups cream
5. 3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
6. A handful of cherry, apple or persimmon wood chips

Directions:

1. Heat up your outdoor grill and throw in the wood chips along with the charcoal, dividing the area in your grill so that you have an area for direct heat and indirect heat. Close the lid for 30 minutes to allow the smoke to build up.
2. In a small saucepan, pour in the cream chocolate chip pieces. Place the saucepan on the indirect heat portion. Close the lid to allow the smoke flavor to infuse into the chocolate.
3. After 15 minutes, open the lid to stir in the chocolate until the chocolate is completely incorporated into the cream. Close the lid for another 5 minutes. Take this off from the grill and allow this to cool for 10 minutes.
4. While waiting for the ganache to cool, wash the figs and cut them in half lengthwise. Carefully thread 4 fig halves onto a skewer.
5. Place the figs onto the grill with the cut side down on direct heat. Grill the figs for 2 minutes or until grill marks appear on the cut side of the figs. Remove the figs from the grill and allow these to cool for a few minutes.
6. To serve, spoon a bit of the chocolate ganache on the plate. Arrange 6 fig halves on the plate. Add a dollop of mascarpone cheese onto each fig half and drizzle with more of the chocolate ganache.

Plan your grilled Valentine’s Day dinner, add your favorite beverage and enjoy yourself!