For your Lunar New Year celebrations, Valentine’s Day dinner, and more, these tasty seasonal recipes will speak for themselves.
Thomas J. Story
After a healthy start to the new year in January, the holidays in February call for more decadence—and some well-deserved cheat days. This month, we’ll be feasting on seasonal recipes for two major holidays.(All of these recipes, featuring winter produce, are great any day of the month, of course.)
All month long, Lunar New Year celebrations will bring together family and friends to indulge in symbolic dishes. The start of the new year according to the lunar calendar falls on February 10 this year, and different dishes and festivities will ring in the Year of the Dragon across Asia and beyond. Enjoy symbolic foods such as egg rolls for wealth and prosperity, noodle dishes for longevity, and whole fish for abundance.
Next, we’ll be celebrating Valentine’s Day on February 14 with all foods rich, indulgent, and pink. If you’re opting to cook at home for your V-Day dinner this year, try our recipes for filet mignon, oysters, and fondue. With these dishes, your at-home feast is sure to be as elegant and tasty as a restaurant date, and you’ll score tons of brownie points for cooking for your valentine.
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Beyond taste and seasonality, the real strength of these recipes is their symbolism. The Lunar New Year foods have clear meanings, but the act of breaking bread with loved ones also shows how much you care for your guests. Even the Valentine’s Day dishes convey a message. Cooking for your valentine is a way to say “I love you,” and sharing the meal demonstrates intimacy and trust. For dishes that speak for themselves, check out our list of February recipes below.
- Starters and Salads
- Main Dishes
- Desserts
Starters and Salads
1 of 6Annabelle Breakey
Chicken and Shrimp Dumplings in Green Onion-Shiitake Broth
One large dumpling per diner tastes just as good as many smaller ones, but it’s faster to make and looks more dramatic for your Lunar New Year feast.
2 of 6James Carrier
Swiss Cheese Fondue
Cheese fondue is a fun and unique appetizer that’s perfect for a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner. This fondue recipe features Swiss and gruyère cheeses and is served with baguette cubes.
3 of 6Thomas J. Story
Winter Greens Curry
Chef Meeru Dhalwala adds a bit of brown sugar to this curry since she developed it to accompany a tart tamarind chickpea curry. “I believe in the ultimate pleasure of a dish that is sweet, sour, salty, and bitter,” she says.
4 of 6Annabelle Breakey
Billy’s Vegan Egg Rolls
Billy Ngo, now chef at Kru, a Japanese restaurant in Sacramento, shared this dish inspired by his previous restaurant, Red Lotus. He deep-fries these, but at home it’s easier to brush them with oil and bake them until they’re crisp.
5 of 6Thomas J. Story
Char-Broiled Oysters
Chef Ari Kolender of L.A.’s recommends broiling larger oysters and shucking and eating the smaller ones raw. “While you can broil any oyster, they will shrink in size when they cook, so you should take that into account,” says Kolender.
6 of 6Thomas J. Story
Fennel, Almond, and Pecorino Salad
When he’s cooking in the wild, Elias Cairo, head salumist of Olympia Provisions in Portland, likes to make a hardier salad using ingredients that stay beautiful even if they get banged around a bit in the cooler.
Main Dishes
1 of 9Thomas J. Story
Whole Roasted Sea Bass with Chile Garlic Vinegar
This beautiful make-ahead recipe is perfect for Lunar New Year parties. You can prepare and tie up these bundles in the morning and store them in the refrigerator until cook time while you tend to other party preparations. Not only do the banana leaves add flavor, but they also make for a stunning presentation.
2 of 9Thomas J. Story
Spicy Blood Orange and Lemongrass Chicken
Attention, citrus lovers: This dish includes zest in the lemongrass-chile rub, juice in the refreshing dressing, and peeled segments in the crunchy cucumber and shallot topping.
3 of 9Thomas J. Story
Chilled Corn Soup with Seared Scallops and Crisp Onions
We’ve balanced sweet corn and rich cream here with earthy cumin and a splash of bright Champagne vinegar for a delicious addition to your V-Day dinner. You can make the soup a day ahead and chill. Also chill bowls for serving to keep the soup cold.
4 of 9Annabelle Breakey
Lamb Shoulder Chops with Green Olives and Lemon
Meaty and less expensive than lamb loin chops, shoulder chops need to cook a little longer to soften. They’re slightly gamey (in a good way!), which makes them a great match for the bold, Moroccan-style flavors here. Serve with fluffy couscous to soak up the sauce.
5 of 9Annabelle Breakey
Golden Cauliflower “Risotto”
Tiny florets of cauliflower mimic rice in this rich, creamy dish. Golden cauliflower adds appealing color, but the recipe works just as well with the white variety. Try it with pan-roasted brussels sprouts.
6 of 9Thomas J. Story
Sweet Potato Zoodle Ramen
For a healthier take on ramen, substitute sweet potato zoodles for the traditional wheat noodles. You can create the zoodles with a spiralizer or mandoline. The shortcut broth also has loads of flavor without taking hours to cook.
7 of 9James Carrier
Kobe Pepper Filet Mignon
The tender star of your Valentine’s Day dinner. If desired, substitute USDA prime or choice beef for the Kobe.
8 of 9Annabelle Breakey
Cider-Braised Pork Chops
Hard cider—low in alcohol, not too sweet, and gently flavorful—works beautifully in savory dishes. Here it adds a subtle apple note and keeps the meat juicy. Serve with egg noodles or mashed sweet potatoes.
9 of 9Annabelle Breakey
Quick Chicken Pho
For pho, a rich-tasting broth is crucial. But how do you produce one quickly? Simmer whole pieces of chicken in chicken broth.
Desserts
1 of 7E. Spencer Toy
Molten Chocolate Mousse Cups
Bake this silky, rich chocolate mousse straight out of the freezer. It couldn’t be easier and you can make a half-batch without compromising the results. Needless to say, they make a killer Valentine’s Day dessert.
2 of 7Annabelle Breakey
Winter Fruit and Walnut Pie
We reached back into our files of all-star recipes for this one submitted by reader Ruth Greene. Lining the crust with toasted walnuts gives the pie a delectable crunch.
3 of 7Iain Bagwell
Japonica Ice Cream Sundaes
For this gorgeous combination of green tea ice cream and ripe red plums poached in sweet sake, be sure to use fresh matcha and keep it tightly covered in the fridge—it oxidizes very quickly.
4 of 7James Carrier
Dulce de Leche Fondue
One more fondue recipe to finish off your Valentine’s Day dinner. Choose two to four kinds of fruit—apples, bananas, dried apricots, pears, grapes, pineapples, strawberries—or any other foods you like to dip, such as marshmallows and pretzels.
5 of 7Annabelle Breakey
Tangerine Sherbet
This creamy, brightly flavored dessert is delicious served with your favorite cookies, but for a more festive presentation, alternate scoops with vanilla ice cream and pour Champagne over the top.
6 of 7James Carrier
Chinese Almond Cookies
With a buttery shortbread-like texture, these almond-flavored cookies are guaranteed to be family favorites for Lunar New Year and beyond. Let kids help by “painting” glaze on the dough and putting almond “eyes” in the cookie’s center.
7 of 7Annabelle Breakey
Decadent Chocolate Mousse
Deep, rich, and luxurious, this mousse, inspired by a recipe from Isabel Allende, is a grand finale to your V-Day meal. Use good-quality chocolate for the best flavor.
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- Lunar New Year
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- Valentine's Day
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