Romantic, Four-Course Vegan Meal for Two
This winter my boyfriend, Ron, and I celebrated four years of love!
Each year, we switch off planning our night together. Year one he surprised me with a stormy – think the 2017 ran season in Southern California-- ride to the Inn of the Seventh Ray, where we sat under twinkling lights with rain coming down all around us. Year two I took us to Crossroads, a vegan restaurant in LA, and the grove for a holiday stroll. Year three Ron took us to our favorite vegan restaurant, Shojin, which features artistic sushi creations. As a big sushi fan and non-vegan, Ron claims Shojin makes the best sushi he’s ever eaten…
This year I decided to cook a four-course meal on a weekend getaway. Putting together a fancy vegan meal can be a little daunting, something we talked about during our meal. For non-vegan meals, the main course can be a well-done piece of meat. Although plant-based “meat” has come a long way, a big hunk of fake meat would leave much to be desired. For this reason, it’s important to choose recipes that are practical without sacrificing the creativity and tastiness of complex vegan food.
This four-course meal is Italian-inspired and thoughtful about the non-romantic side effects of certain vegan staples (no beans!) and heavy food in general. To keep the meal running smoothly, I made everything in advance and assembled the food before each course. Further, I dipped my toes in some wine pairing and was pleased with the results. Hopefully this gives you inspiration for making a special romantic dinner for your partner and I will share my recipes individually later, so you can recreate this meal exactly if you wish.
DrinK
Robert Mondavi Private Collection Chardonnay
SEE: Golden yellow SMELL: Lemon and green apple TASTE: Nectarine, peach, vanilla, brown sugar
This wine is delicious, affordable (11 or less), and pairs nicely with the light salad and tangy polenta sauce.
Kale Cesar Salad with Chicken
Toss
This amazing recipe
Sliced vegan chicken (such as Gardein cutlets)
Serve with warm bread, oil, and vinegar
Polenta Hearts with Tomato and Red Pepper Walnut Sauce
Colleen Patrick Goudreau’s Vegan Table polenta hearts served on a tangy sauce (recipe to come)
Tips for serving
Prepare and form the hearts in advance as well as the sauce you serve them with
Fry the hearts before the first course and leave them on the stove top on the lowest heat setting to keep warm
Warm the sauce before the first course and fully heat right before serving
Serve with a drizzle of balsamic and basil leaves
Drink
d'aquino chianti
Very earthy and rustic, high in tannins (it dries your mouth out), has a smell and taste that is reminiscent of cherries and strawberries, and is high in acidity, which makes it go very well with food. (Vinepair)
D’Aquino is cheap, but who said wine has to break the budget? The tannins work well with the cream sauce and the custard and the berry-aroma with the raspberries.
Linguine with Chardonnay Cream Sauce and Mushrooms
Recipe to come!
Tips for serving cream sauce:
Prepare sauce in advance but do not thicken
Boil noodles before first course, strain, oil, and leave covered in pan
Thicken sauce right before serving
Vanilla Custard with Raspberries
Vanilla custard from Miyoko Schinner’s Vegan Pantry is truly delightful.
Tips for serving
Emulsion blend for extra creaminess
Prepare and refrigerate ahead of time
Drizzle with balsamic and toasted coconut
Annalise