Chef's Recipes

Date Night Dinner

Chef Christoph created an extraordinary three-course meal for your next at-home date night!

Italian Sausage Stuffed MushroomsAppetizer

Italian Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:
12 medium mushroom caps
10 oz. Italian sausage
6 leaves fresh basil
1 oz. grated parmesan
1/2 cup marinara sauce
 
Directions:

  1. Place sausage and parmesan in a mixing bowl.
  2. Chop basil leaves and add to mixture.
  3. Remove the stems from the mushrooms and clean the mushroom caps in cold water.
  4. Divide up the sausage mixture evenly, filling each mushroom cap.
  5. Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes.
  6. Heat up marinara sauce. Grab two appetizer plates and pour 1/4 cup of sauce in the center of each plate. Serve the mushrooms (six each) on top of the sauce.


Entrée

Shrimp and Asparagus Risotto
Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:
1/2 cup arborio risotto rice
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 shallot, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine
6 oz. shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 oz. asparagus, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
Grated cheese for garnish (optional)
 
Directions:

  1. In a large sauce pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.
  2. Add shallots and garlic.
  3. Add arborio rice and stir for 3-4 minutes.
  4. In a separate pan, bring chicken stock to a simmer.
  5. Slowly add the chicken stock to the rice. Stir until all the liquid is absorbed. It's best to use a rubber spatula for stirring.
  6. On high heat, sauté the shrimp and asparagus until fully cooked. Deglaze the pan with white wine.
  7. Season the shrimp and asparagus to taste and fold into the risotto.                    
  8. Plate your dish and use cheese for garnish, if desired.


Dessert

Raspberry Mousse
Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:
6 oz. fresh raspberries to make 3 oz. raspberry purée (set aside 4 raspberries for garnish)
2 egg whites
2 oz. powdered sugar
1/4 of a lemon for juice and zest
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 Tbsp. chocolate sprinkles
 
Directions:

  1. Set aside 4 raspberries for garnish. In a small sauce pan, heat up the remaining raspberries until they fall apart.
  2. Push the mixture through a mesh strainer to remove the seeds. Set the purée aside to cool down.
  3. Separate the egg whites from the yolk and put them in a bowl. Add the sugar to the egg whites.
  4. Add the lemon juice and zest to the egg white and sugar mixture. If you don't have a citrus zester or microplane, a cheese grater can be used for zesting the lemon.
  5. Place the mixture in a double boiler. Fill the bottom sauce pan with simmering water. Whisk the egg mixture constantly until the sugar is dissolved and it reaches 120°F.
  6. Place the mixture in a mixer and add a pinch of salt. Whisk until the mixture stiffens.
  7. In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until it forms peaks. Add the cooled raspberry purée.
  8. Carefully fold in the egg white mixture. Fill two wine glasses and chill for at least two hours.
  9. Garnish with fresh raspberries and chocolate sprinkles.