How to Have a Special Valentine's Day Dinner in Tropical Paradise

A romantic Valentine's Day dinner may be difficult for a very few. It is pretty easy for me. Living in a tropical paradise makes my job easier. Having access to several boats and numerous uninhabited islands just makes it that much more easy.

I have another advantage: I can cook. I cannot only cook on the stove I can cook almost anywhere. Being able to cook on an uninhabited tropical island, can be a big advantage. So my selection for the location of the romantic dinner is just offshore of Molasses Key near Marathon.

The reason I selected just offshore of Molasses Key instead of camping on the key is creature comforts. A thirty-foot walk around cuddy cabin boat is one of the finest ways of viewing a Valentine's Day sunset without the bugs.

With the scene set, the dinner has to match the scenery. While most boats have alcohol-stove tops, they are not very useful other than heating canned foods. Not the kind of thing worthy of such a special day. Luckily, grilled foods are perfect for such an occasion. The 14" diameter propane grill is perfect for making that private dinner in paradise. Right on the back deck in view on the sunset.

The most romantic offshore meal requires planning. The perfect main course is a rack of lamb, rib-eye steaks or grilled chicken breast depending on the desires of the crew. The rack of lamb is my favorite.

To simplify the meal preparation I make a few things in advance. First is the salad. I prefer a nice baby spinach salad with mushrooms, green onion, crispy bacon, a little tomatoe,grated mozzarella cheese and balsamic vinaigrette. This can be prepared ahead of time and the dressing added at the last minute. Garlic bread that is pre-made and wrapped in foil also simplifies prep time. I also make a light cheese sauce that will be stored in an aluminum foil container for reheating.

The sauce is simple; I take 1 tablespoon of butter and melt it in a saucepan. Once melted, I add one tablespoon of flour, stirring to make a make a light roux. Then I add one cup of milk and let it come to near boil under medium low heat. I add salt, pepper and dill and basil to taste then one cup grated Swiss cheese. Once thickened, I take it off the heat and place in an aluminum container for reheating later. Personally, blue vein or Gorgonzola cheese is what I prefer, but you have to make allowances on a special day for your special guest.

If you are splurging on a special on the water meal, potatoes are a must. I precook red skin potatoes. Dry the potatoes after cleaning and coat them in olive oil and kosher salt. The potatoes are then pre-cooked so that only take fifteen minutes or so of grill time is needed to make them right. Either stick them in the oven for 20 minutes at 350 or nuke them for 2 minute each. These are placed in a zip-lock or any other container. They will be place on the grill directly to finish.

Broccoli is my choice for the vegetable course. I use the larger stalks with the tough base removed. These will be grilled, so the stalks are coated in olive oil and a bit of salt before placing in the cooler for the trip. They will be cooked on grill with the chops. I grill them and set them on top of the chops from time to time to keep them from burning. Grilled broccoli has a great flavor. It's all in the light char. With the cheese sauce yum!

The chops are pre-seasoned with salt, pepper, rosemary and a little thyme. Rub the chops first with olive oil and then season them. Wrap the rack or the chops in clear wrap and in the cooler. They will marinade perfectly for the few hours it takes to get to the destination.

Once you get to your destination, make sure your have forty-five minutes before sunset. With a moderately hot grill, it will take 25 to 30 minutes for the chops to reach medium. At least fifteen minutes is required for the potatoes, and 10 to 15 minutes for the broccoli. The cheese sauce and bread will take five to ten minutes. Have plenty of butter available in case, but the cheese sauce is great on the potatoes and broccoli. Don't forget to let the chops rest a few minutes before servicing. I forego mint jelly with this meal, but it should be available.

The wine I recommend is Shiraz. A bit sweeter than a cabernet I would normally choose, but perfect for the occasion, if not the meal. Desert, is chocolate, nothing but chocolate. A good meal on the water while taking in a great tropical sunset is pretty hard to beat on any Valentine's Day. Most of the time I spend the night and return the next day. You never know want you might run into on the water at night.