The day before you plan to cook this, you need to make the marinade to rub on the lamb and refrigerate for a day. To begin, we used the herbs we had in our garden: 3 sprigs of thyme, 1 sprig of rosemary, 3 sage leaves, 1 tsp oregano, and 2 tbsp parsley. Chop that up and throw it in the mortar and pestle. To that, add 2 garlic cloves, 2 tbsp Dijon mustard, 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tsp salt. Crush and mix everything together until it forms a paste.

Season the meat first with salt and pepper and rub the entire rack of lamb with the herb paste and refrigerate at least overnight (or a full day for best results).

When it's ready to be cooked, get the pan extremely hot and sear each side of the rack of lamb for 10 minutes. Then pop it into a 400-degree oven for 15 minutes for medium rare. Leave it in longer if you want the meat to be less pink. Make sure you let the meat rest for 5-10 minutes after you take it out before you cut into it. (We were kind of impatient, so as you can see, some of the juices ran out).

To add extra flavor to the meat, we prepared the wine reduction sauce which consists of 1 cup of port wine and 1 cup of veal broth. Keep reducing until it has the right consistency to drizzle over the lamb. And of course, we made risotto to complete the meal.

The meat is absolutely succulent and moist! The wine reduction sauce also gives it a very bold and full flavor, and you get that hint of herb and Dijon from the rub. Two thumbs up for a fabulous Valentine's Day dinner!

To make the roulade, you need to flatten the chicken breast by pounding it with a mallet. Be sure to put plastic wrap on the bottom so it doesn't stick to the cutting board, and also on top so that it doesn't splatter everywhere.

In a skillet, combine mushrooms (here we used crimini), bell peppers, shallots, and butter, then saute over medium heat.

Season the chicken breast with salt & pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Add some of the sauteed mushrooms and bell peppers on the chicken breast, and roll tightly.

Secure the chicken with butcher's twine, making sure none of the stuffing will fall out. Season the outside with the same as above, then sear chicken for about 2-3 minutes on each side over high heat. Then, put in the oven at 350 degrees for about 10-12 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.

Meanwhile, prepare the risotto. Slowly combine chicken stock to cook the rice and stir often. (Risotto is very high maintenance and you always have to keep an eye on it). Add desired ingredients - we used the leftover mushroom & bell pepper, and added parsley and grated parimigiano reggiano to make it creamy.

Let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes before slicing. Add more cheese on top, some vegetables on the side, and wah-lah, the romantic dinner is served.

Happy Valentine's Day! Cheers!

I managed to dig up a picture I took of Daniel that day he cooked for me, many many moons ago. Unlike last night, he had prepared everything by himself and I just watched.

I don't think any remakes can ever top the first time I tried this meal.