Romantic Dinner Menu - Shrimp a la Pietro, Strawberry Basket (cake shell filled with strawberry mousse)
rec.food.cooking/Eileen Holze/1996

I'm cooking our usual Valentine's Dinner which my husband loves. Shrimp ala Pietro, risotto, and a salad. For dessert I'm making a strawberry basket.

Shrimp A La Pietro
Recipe by: Little Mom

15 shrimp
3/4 of 1/4 lb butter
handful of mushrooms
salt and pepper
paprika
onion powder

Cook shrimp 3 minutes. Drain. Saute above adding 5-8 drops white wine. Crumble bleu cheese and sprinkle over top. Bake 400F for 15 minutes.

Strawberry Basket
Recipe by: Little Mom

Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour -- sifted
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 pint strawberries, -- halved

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour 11"x5" loaf pan; set aside. On sheet of waxed paper combine flour, sugar, baking powder, 1/2 tsp. salt; set aside. In large bowl at high speed beat cream until stiff; set aside.

In medium bowl, at high speed beat eggs and vanilla, until thick and lemon colored; fold into whipped cream. With spatula fold into flour mix and pour into pan. Bake 45-50 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Cut and remove 1-inch slice from top of cake. Take knife with serrated edge and remove cake to make a shell with 1" walls. Fill cake shell with strawberry mousse.*(Recipe follows)

Put on top. Cover cake with icing* (recipe follows); garnish with strawberries. Place rest of icing in pastry bag with weave tip; decorate sides of cake with basket pattern. With star tip use remaining icing to decorate top edge of cake.

Strawberry Mousse:
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup amaretto
1 cup heavy cream
1 pt strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup sugar

In small glass measure, sprinkle gelatin over amaretto and set aside for 5 minutes until gelatin softens. In small bowl, at high speed beat cream until stiff; refrigerate. In large skillet over low heat toss strawberries with sugar until sugar dissolves (about 3 minutes) Remove from heat, stir in gelatin mixture until blended. Cool to room temperature; fold into whipped cream.

Icing:
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract

In large bowl at high speed, beat ingredients until mix is stiff.