VALENTINE'S DAY CELEBRATIONS February 1, 2006 Susan Noble Family and Consumer Science Extension Agent

Now a word of advise to the wise; wise men, that is. Remember that what's good for the goose is good for the gander. Females like good food too.

Actually, all my taste testers for this column were female. I don't have much experience with the man's heart/stomach thing - unless you count my cat Doodle. At 22 pounds, he is very well fed, and he loves me.

But whether the heart you're after is male or female, do that heart a favor by wooing it with healthy food. Yes, healthy food can be worthy of a Valentine's celebration. Try these recipes for proof.

The gumbo is indeed a labor of love as it takes some time to chop all the vegetables involved. If you're unfamiliar with gumbo, it is a thick, stew-like dish of Creole origin and a must on any trip to New Orleans. Ingredients include onions, peppers, okra, tomatoes, and one or several meats or shellfish such as chicken, sausage, ham, shrimp, crab, or oysters.

One thing all gumbos share is a roux. This is a mixture of flour and fat slowly cooked over low heat to help thicken and flavor the dish. The traditional roux for gumbo is made with lard, a saturated animal fat. This recipe uses heart-healthy canola oil.

The scallop dish could be considered a labor of the pocketbook as scallops tend to be expensive. For a couple of years, I have been using frozen scallops from the grocery store, which I think are reasonably priced. They come in one-pound bags, and I can remove just the amount I need. I've always been pleased every time I've used these, and this dish was no exception.

Fried scallops may not strike you as a healthy dish, but this version uses very little breading or oil. And since scallops are very rich tasting, just a few can satisfy almost any appetite.

Now that I'm out of clichés, here are the recipes.

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 1 teaspoon oil, chicken, and sausage; sauté for 3 minutes or till browned. Remove meats from pan, leaving drippings in pan. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery to pan; sauté 4 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper; sauté 4 minutes or till onion is tender and garlic is fragrant. Remove all from pan.

Add remaining oil to pan. Add flour to pan, stirring constantly with a whisk. Cook 10 minutes or till roux (fat/flour mixture) is light brown, stirring constantly with whisk. Gradually add broth, stirring constantly with whisk. Add chicken and sausage, onion mixture, tomatoes, okra, and Old Bay. Bring to a boil. Cover; reduce heat; and simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in shrimp; cook 5 minutes or till shrimp are done. Serve over rice.

Yields 8 servings (1 1/4 cups gumbo and 1/3 cup rice) at 353 calories.

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light magazine.

Mix together mayonnaise and ketchup in small bowl. Add hot sauce to taste. (Do not go overboard even if you like to eat fire as you do not want the sauce to overpower the delicately flavored scallops.) Set sauce aside. Combine scallops, pepper, and breadcrumbs in a zip-top plastic bag; seal and shake to coat. Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add scallops and cook approximately 3 minutes per side or till done. Serve at once with the sauce.

Yields 2 servings at 245 calories each.

Recipe adapted from Weight Watchers.

The scallops and sauce are also good served over mixed salad greens. Guys, this really appeals to the ladies.

The use of brand names in this column does not imply endorsement by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service of the products or services named or criticism of similar ones not mentioned.

E-mail address: Susan_Noble@ncsu.edu

Mailing address:
P. O. Box 2280
Lumberton, NC 28359-2280

Phone: 910-671-3276
Fax: 910-671-6278

Date Created 6/23/06