Date night at home just got a little more inspiring with this 3-course feast from Inn On The Twenty Executive Chef Sheila Polinga!
Chef Polinga has created this delicious and romantic date night menu for you to recreate at home. Spend time in the kitchen together, set the table, light some candles open a bottle of Niagara’s best wine and make tonight a wonderful date night!
Your Date Night Menu
Tuna Ceviche on Corn Tortilla Chips
Tuna, cucumber, shallots, green mangoes, ginger, chili pepper, kalamansi, corn tortilla chips
Roasted Chicken
Roasted Corn Fed Chicken Breast, Broccoli and Caramelized Onion Hash Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, Adobo Chicken Jus
Citrus Panna Cotta with Candied Orange Peel
35% cream, milk, sugar, gelatin, orange and lemon peel
Tuna Ceviche on Corn Tortilla Chips
Ingredients:
1/2 lb Tuna
1/2 cup diced Cucumber, seeds removed
1/2 cup diced Mangoes
1 small Shallot, brunoised
1-inch knob Ginger, brunoised
1/2 tbsp Jalapeno (or green chili), brunoised
Juice and zest of 2 Limes
Salt and pepper to taste
Corn Tortilla Chips
Method:
Mix all ingredients together, adding tuna last. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
Tips: Serve with your favourite corn tortilla chips.
Chicken Adobo
Ingredients:
2 Chicken supreme (chicken breast, skin on with wing attached)
6 pcs of fingerling Potatoes, blanched, cut in half lengthwise
1 medium Onion julienned, divided into 2
2 cups Broccoli florets, blanched
¼ cup Soy Sauce
1/3 cup white Vinegar
1 cup Chicken Stock
1 Bay leaf
4 cloves Garlic, coarsely chopped, divided into 2
6 pcs whole Black Peppercorn
1 tbsp Hoisin sauce
1 tbsp Brown Sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp Canola Oil
Method:
Combine chicken, stock, soy sauce, vinegar, bay leaf, peppercorn, hoisin, brown sugar, half of onions and half of garlic in a medium pot. Let simmer until chicken is cooked, about 15 minutes.
When chicken is cooked, strain liquid, keep meat and sauce separate.
In a pan sauté onion and garlic until golden brown then sear chicken skin to give it a nice golden color, add your sauce back in with the chicken, simmer until sauce is reduced in half, add broccoli and potatoes.
Tips:
You can use the same technique and sauce with pork. Adobo is typically served with rice.
Citrus Panna Cotta
Ingredients:
85g white Sugar
400 ml 35% Cream
125 ml 2% Milk
5 to 6 Gelatin Sheets
peel of 1 Orange
peel of 1 Lemon
peel of 1 Lime
Garnish:
peel of 1 Orange, julienned
2 cups Water
2 cups Sugar + 2 tbsp Sugar
handful of Raspberries
segmented Oranges
Method:
Combine cream, milk and citrus peel in a pot on low heat, let steep for 15 to 20 minutes, keep stirring and do not let it boil.
Add sugar, stir, keep on low heat until sugar is dissolved.
Bloom gelatin in cold water.
Once cream mixture is ready, squeeze water out of gelatin and add to cream.
Whisk, strain, then pour into your favorite mold.
Let set for at least 4 hours or overnight.
For candied orange peel/garnish:
Blanch julienned orange peel in plain water for 5 minutes.
Combine sugar and water (simple syrup) in a separate pot, on low heat, let sugar melt. After blanching orange peel in plain water, transfer into simple syrup and simmer until peel is translucent, about 10 minutes, depending on how thick orange peel is. Strain then let orange peel cool down, while peel is still tacky sprinkle with remaining sugar.
Tips:
1 pouch of Knox gelatin powder is equivalent to 5 sheets of gelatin. Make this dessert a day ahead. Top with candied orange peel and raspberries or your favourite berries and orange segments!
About Executive Chef Sheila Polingga
Chef Polingga has been part of Inn On The Twenty’s culinary team since 2011, officially assuming the role of Executive Chef in late 2018.