Photography by Tony Lewis, Jr.
This Fe uary 14th, with Valentines and swatches of red abounding, many of us show our love to that special someone by treating them to a romantic dinner. The Heart Health Foundation is also hoping that you’ll show a little love your own heart, which is why This Fe uary 14th, with Valentines and swatches of red abounding, many of us show our love to that special someone by treating them to a romantic dinner. The Heart Health Foundation is also hoping that you’ll show a little love your own heart, which is why What's Up? Annapolis teamed with the Annapolis-based nonprofit organization to present several healthy and delicious recipes—each easy to make, a winner on the plate, and great for making a suave impression.
In fact, if you’re seeing red already throughout Annapolis, that’s because the Heart Health Foundation is promoting its month-long “Paint the Town Red” campaign to raise awareness of cardiovascular disease early detection and education. Since its founding in 2000 by vascular surgeon Dr. John Martin and Louise O. Hanson of Cardiology Associates, Heart Health Foundation has screened more than 40,000 people for signs of cardiovascular disease. Nearly 50 percent of those patients showed signs of disease and are walking today in part because of the organization. When you’re walking about town, look for the “Paint the Town Red” logo on participating local storefronts, restaurants, and businesses for friendly deals and related promotions.
And if you do decide to dine-in this Valentine’s Day, consider making a decadent meal with the following recipes including: Dr. Martin’s Crab Cakes with a Bite; Lesly Sajak’s Antipasti; and Sally Kaiser’s (of Palate Pleasers) Spicy Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup.
Dr. Martin's Crab Cakes with a Bite
1 pound crabmeat (the better the meat the better the cake)
1/2 cup fresh ead crumbs
1 egg
2 teaspoons Old Bay
seasoning (at least)
1/2 cup minced onion
1/2 cup minced celery
1 tablespoon mustard
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (add more for bigger bite)
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco (add more for bigger bite)
olive oil (and butter if desired) to sauté
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in saucepan. Mince the onion and celery and sauté until clear. Set aside until cool. Pick over the crabmeat to remove any bits of shell and rinse, remove excess moisture. Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir thoroughly. Shape mixture into small patties of about 2 ounces each. Sauté quickly in the butter and oil, lightly owning on both sides. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve with your favorite seafood sauce.
Homemade Seafood Sauce:
Mix catsup and horseradish sauce together with a pinch of lemon. Add enough horseradish to get bite desired.
Lesly Sajak's Antipasti
1 head of mesclun lettuce, washed and oken apart
1 red onion sliced thin
3/4 pound tomatoes (your choice)
1/2 can pepperoncini (drained)
1/2 can artichoke hearts (drained)
1/2 can pitted black olives (drained)
1/2 jar green olives (drained)
1/2 can pickled beets (drained)
1 small can anchovies (drained)
1 can tuna in oil (drained)
1 small jar roasted red peppers
1/2 can chickpeas
4 oz. feta cheese
2 carrots, sliced
2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
1 bottle Italian dressing
Make a bed of lettuce leaves on a platter. Garnish with olives, pepperoncini, artichoke hearts, beets, chickpeas, roasted peppers, tomatoes, onions, anchovies, tuna, carrots, and hard-boiled eggs. Cover with wax paper and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Add Italian dressing before serving. It can be served as an appetizer or main dish.
Spicy Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup
Serves 4
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 large red bell peppers, seeds removed and thickly sliced
Half of a small onion, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of red chili flakes (or two)
1 (28 oz.) can whole tomatoes
1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable oth
Small handful of basil leaves, chiffonade (divided)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with tin foil then coat with cooking spray. Drizzle a tablespoon of the olive oil over the sliced bell peppers. Place the peppers in the oven and cook until the peppers are soft and charred in some spots, about 30-35 minutes.
Remove from the oven and place the peppers into a ziplock bag then seal. Wait for 5 minutes, then carefully peel the charred skin off of each pepper.
Discard skin.
Heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven. Add the onion and chili flakes. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are soft and tender, about 5-7 minutes; add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the roasted peppers, canned tomatoes and their juices, chicken oth, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.
Simmer for 20 minutes, eaking apart the tomatoes as they cook. Add most of the fresh basil (reserve some for garnish) then using an immersion blender, puree the soup. Add the sugar and red wine vinegar, as well as additional sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste, if needed.
Serve some fresh basil and thyme on top. Enjoy.
