A meal that is at once romantic and virtuous — could there be a more perfect Valentine’s Day dinner?

These filet mignon with pomegranate-burgundy sauce certainly make a delicious case for it.

Making it happen actually is quite easy. Start with the right cut of beef. The tenderloin that filet mignon is cut from is on the leaner side, with about 7 grams of fat per 4-ounce portion. That’s not a bad start, especially since a bit of fat will add lots of flavor.

When preparing velvety, rich sauces, most recipes call for starting with a generous dollop of butter.
Our recipe does away with that, instead starting with tangy pomegranate juice and dry red wine. But the real secret here is using some veal demi-glace to add flavor, body and texture.

A good meat stock (which is the key ingredient in demi-glace) is made by roasting the bones, then simmering them for a long time with aromatic vegetables. At some point the solids are strained out and the liquid is reduced until it has intense flavor and the gelatin from the bones has given it a smooth, almost viscous texture.
It’s the rich flavor and velvety texture of this kind of stock that can give a sauce a luxurious, glossy feel, without the need to lard it with butter.

Best of all, you don’t need to bother with all that roasting and simmering. Excellent prepared demi-glace products are available at many grocers.

Companies such as More Than Gourmet make super-concentrated stocks and demi-glace (as well as fish and chicken stocks).

Look for them near other bouillon bases and soups at your market. The product itself is reduced to a thick paste, which can be added directly to a sauce to give it that restaurant-quality flavor and finish, or diluted into a more typical stock.

Filet Mignon with Pomegranate-Burgundy Sauce
Servings: 2

2 beef filet mignon (4 ounces each)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Ground black pepper, to taste
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium shallot, minced
1/3 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup veal demi-glace
1/3 cup pomegranate juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds (optional)

Heat the oven to 200°. Season the steaks with salt and pepper.

Heat a 10-inch cast-iron or other heavy skillet over medium for 2 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons of the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Increase heat to medium-high.

Add the steaks and cook, 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer the filets to an ovenproof dish and place in the heated oven (the steaks will cook a bit more in the oven).

Return the skillet to medium heat and add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and the shallot. Saute until shallot has softened, about 1 minute. Add the wine and cook for 1 minute. Add the demi-glace and pomegranate juice, increase the heat to high to bring the sauce to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced by half.

Spoon the sauce over the filets and serve, garnished with chives and pomegranate seeds, if desired.

When it comes to broccoli, there really is flavor beyond cheese sauce.

Not that cheese sauce is a bad way to mask the sulfurous smell and assertive flavor many people object to with this wonderfully healthy vegetable. But there are healthier ways of dressing it up, as in this savory sauce made from olives, capers and lemon juice.

Although broccoli is always available, it is at its best late summer through early winter. Look for bunches that are dark green with tightly closed florets. Avoid broccoli that is limp and yellowing.

Preparation is simple. Rinse the broccoli thoroughly and separate the stalks from the florets. The stalks are edible and flavorful, but use a vegetable peeler or sharp paring knife to remove the tough outer skin.

To achieve the most evenly cooked broccoli, always cut the florets into consistently sized pieces. Because the tougher stalks take longer to cook, it is best to cut them into even smaller pieces.
To steam, put broccoli in a steamer basket set over a large saucepan filled with about an inch of water. Cover and steam for about 3 to 6 minutes.

To microwave, put about 4 cups of stalks and florets in a microwave-safe bowl. Add a few tablespoons of water, then cover and microwave on high for 3 to 5 minutes.

BROCCOLI WITH LEMON, OLIVE AND CAPER SAUCE
Servings: 4 to 6
Time: 15 minutes

4 cups fresh broccoli florets
1 teaspoon butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup sliced Kalamata olives
3 tablespoons lemon juice, or to taste
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
Ground black pepper, to taste

In a medium saucepan fitted with a steamer basket, bring 1 inch of water to a bowl. Steam the broccoli until tender-crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the broccoli to a serving bowl, cover and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the oil and garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the olives, lemon juice and capers and cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes.

Pour the sauce over the reserved broccoli and season with black pepper. Toss well to coat.

You’ve probably looked right at them dozens of times, those greenish, papery, lantern-like things in the bin next to the tomatoes at the market. And then you probably moved on.

They’re called tomatillos and they are worth stopping for.

Tomatillos can be used raw or cooked much as you would a tomato. The berry inside the husk can range from marble- to plum-size and has solid, seedy flesh. Raw, they taste a bit like green apple with hints of lemon or lime, but cooking mellows the flavor.
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Conventional wisdom says that cooking vegetables tends to diminish their nutritional prowess. And while there is some truth to this, it isn’t always the case.

Cooking tomatoes does diminish their stores of vitamin C, but it also concentrates other nutrients, such as lycopene (found in red tomatoes), a powerful antioxidant.

Cooking tomatoes also is great from a culinary standpoint. Heat intensifies their flavor and brings out their rich sweetness by caramelizing the natural sugars. This is an especially good technique when working with out-of-season tomatoes.
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Creamed vegetable dishes are delicious, comforting classics. But it can be a bit troubling to take nature’s healthiest foods and essentially nestle them in a pool of fat.
Many recipes for creamed corn or spinach call for using a traditional white sauce made from whole milk thickened with a butter and flour roux. Others are primarily reduced heavy cream and sour cream, which don’t have a stellar nutritional profile, either.
Yet creamy lower-fat vegetable dishes can be every bit as tasty and satisfying as their full-fat cousins.
One way to go is to make a low-fat white sauce by heating 3⁄4 cup of skim or low-fat milk until steaming. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour with 1⁄4 cup of cold milk. Stir the flour mixture into the hot milk and cook, whisking constantly, until thick, two to three minutes.
Once thickened, add 1⁄4 cup of any extra-sharp sharp cheese (use full fat, because with its superior flavor even a little will go a long way) and a bit of Dijon mustard to make a cheesy sauce, or add herbs and spices, such as snipped chives and a pinch of nutmeg, to make a more traditional white sauce. Mix the sauce with cooked vegetables.
You also can thicken a cup of skim or low-fat milk by stirring in 1 1⁄2 tablespoons of cornstarch as it heats, then seasoning in the same way as when thickened with flour.
This recipe for smoky creamed corn with green chilies uses some cornstarch as a thickener, but also gets much of its velvety texture by pureeing two-thirds of the corn in a blender. A mere teaspoon of butter goes a long way in adding a familiar richness to the complex blend of sweet and spicy flavors.
Look for smoked paprika in the spice section of most grocers or in a pinch, just use plain paprika instead.

Smoky Creamed Corn with Green Chilies
Servings: 4

1 teaspoon butter or canola oil
4-ounce can diced green chilies
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
3 cups fresh corn kernels, divided (about 7 cobs)
11/4 cups skim milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a medium saucepan over medium, heat the oil. Add the chilies and paprika and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
In a blender, place 2 cups of the corn, the milk, cornstarch and salt. Blend until smooth. Transfer the puree to the saucepan with the chilies and add the remaining 1 cup of corn.
Cook over medium-high, stirring constantly, until the mixture simmers and thickens and the corn is tender, 7 to 10 minutes.

Per serving: 163 calories; 19 calories from fat; 2 g fat (0 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 2 mg cholesterol; 34 g carbohydrate; 6 g protein; 1 g fiber; 216 mg sodium

The perfect bowl of soup makes a satisfying meal that’s filling, yet low in calories and high in nutrition.
But in the heat of summer, most people give it a pass.
But this recipe for chilled zucchini and green bean soup with a pesto swirl could change your mind about soup in summer.
Sauteed zucchini and sweet onions are simmered with two kinds of beans, then pureed into a soup that’s creamy without being fatty.
A swirl of store-bought basil pesto and a dollop of reduced-fat sour cream provide a luxurious finish.
The soup can be served at room temperature or chilled, so it makes a nice cooling lunch or entree on a hot summer evening.
Plus, this recipe makes a good template for what a healthy soup should be: based on a reduced sodium broth and packed with low-calorie, nutritious and filling vegetables.
Using beans, such as the edamame in this soup, provides an added bonus of hunger-satisfying protein and dietary fiber.
Beans make an excellent base for soups that will seem rich. Combine them with a bit of broth or water, and puree to get velvety smooth results. If you like, use convenient canned beans, but be sure to rinse them under cold water to wash away some of the salt that is in the canning liquid.
To complete the meal, serve this soup with a salad and some crunchy whole-grain pita chips or breadsticks.

Time: Start to finish 1 hour

Chilled Zucchini and Green Bean Soup with a Pesto Swirl
Servings: 6

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small sweet onion, chopped
1 pound zucchini, ends trimmed and thinly sliced
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
10-ounce package frozen shelled edamame
1/2 pound green beans, ends trimmed
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper, or to taste
1/4 cup store-bought basil pesto
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream (optional)

In a large saucepan over medium-high, heat the oil. Add the onion and zucchini and saute until very soft, about 10 minutes.
Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Stir in edamame and green beans and simmer, uncovered, until the vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool for 15 minutes.
Transfer the soup, in batches if necessary, to a blender or food processor. Puree, then season with salt and pepper.
Serve soup chilled or at room temperature. When serving, divide the soup among six bowls and swirl a spoonful of pesto into each. Top with sour cream, if desired.

Per serving: 237 calories; 135 calories from fat; 15 g fat (3 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 14 mg cholesterol; 15 g carbohydrate; 14 g protein; 5 g fiber; 350 mg sodium

A luxurious brunch on Mother’s Day is practically a must.

But luxurious doesn’t have to mean loads of fat.

With a little effort, you can make something spectacular that will leave everyone feeling good for the rest of the day.
This salmon crepe pie with plum tomato sauce, for example, is layered with delicious, healthful ingredients and makes a presentation to be proud of.
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These sauteed breasts with pineapple and jalapeno chilies get plenty of flavor literally piled on. (AP)

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts may be great nutritionally speaking, but they can fall pretty flat when it comes to flavor.

Consider that a plus, a healthy blank canvas on which other flavors can shine. And there are two techniques that can make that easier — cooking them quickly to avoid drying them out and using the cooking process to create a flavorful pan sauce.

Quick and even cooking is easiest when the chicken breasts are thin. Thick breasts take longer to cook and are more likely to become dry. While you can buy thin-sliced breasts, it’s cheaper to buy regular breasts and pound them thin.

To do this, place the chicken breasts on a clean surface, cover them with plastic wrap, then pound them to a uniform thickness using the flat side of a meat mallet, a heavy skillet or a rolling pin.

Next, take advantage of the cooking process to make a sauce. When chicken (or any meat) is cooked in a pan, browned bits stick to the bottom. Once the chicken is done, those bits are easily turned into a sauce.

To do this, dredge the flattened fillets in flour lightly seasoned with salt and pepper. Sauté the seasoned chicken breasts in a nonstick skillet using olive oil blended with a small amount of butter.

After the chicken breasts are golden-brown and cooked through, transfer them to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Now return the pan to the heat and add liquid — wine, broth, juice or water. This is called deglazing. Scrape the pan with a wooden spoon and bring to a simmer.

You also can add other ingredients to the sauce, such as mushrooms, diced onion and herbs. Simmer the sauce until thickened (or add a bit of cornstarch mixed with a tablespoon or two of cool water).

In this recipe for chicken breasts with pineapple and jalapeño chilies, the fruit is caramelized with brown sugar before garlic and minced hot peppers are added. To finish the sauce, the pan is deglazed with a blend of pineapple and orange juice, then thickened with cornstarch.

Sautéed Chicken Breasts with Pineapple and Jalapeño Chilies

Servings: 4

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 11/4 pounds)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
12-ounce package fresh pineapple chunks (13/4 cups)
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 jalapeño chilies, seeded and minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Arrange chicken breasts in a single layer on a work surface and cover with plastic wrap. Using a heavy skillet or a rolling pin, pound them until flattened to about 1/2 inch thick.

In a shallow dish, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Dredge both sides of each breast in the seasoned flour.

In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high, heat the oil and butter. Add the chicken breasts and cook until they are well browned on both sides and no longer pink at the center, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer them to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Do not clean the skillet.

While the chicken breasts are cooking, drain the juice from the pineapple into a measuring cup. Add enough orange juice to total 3/4 cup. Stir in the cornstarch, then set aside.

Return the skillet to the stove over medium-low. Add the drained pineapple and brown sugar. Cook, stirring constantly, until the pineapple begins to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chilies and garlic and stir until the garlic is beginning to color, 1 to 2 minutes.

Stir in the reserved juice. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook until thickened and reduced slightly, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the cilantro, then serve, spooned over the chicken breasts.

Per serving: 268 calories; 70 calories from fat; 8 g fat (3 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 76 mg cholesterol; 19 g carbohydrate; 28 g protein; 1 g fiber; 133 mg sodium

By DIANE ROSSEN WORTHINGTON

I created this recipe when fussy food-loving vegetarians were coming to dinner. I wanted something slightly unusual but speedy to prepare. The result was a bit hit at our table. Everyone loved this combination of sturdy portabella mushrooms combined with tomatoes and creamy cannelini beans. The touch of tarragon brings all of the flavors together.

Portabella mushrooms are used here for their rich meaty texture and flavor. Portabellas are larger brown cremini mushrooms. It’s important to remove the inner gills of the mushroom with a spoon so the mushrooms won’t exude a dark liquid. Otherwise the stew might be too soupy.

If you like a smoky flavor, look for fire-roasted diced tomatoes. Canned cannelini beans work fine in this recipe but remember to drain them well. Try this on a cool day by itself in a bowl or serve it atop soft corn polenta, risotto or your favorite pasta. A California zinfandel would be a lovely accompaniment.

Portabella Mushroom, Tomato and White Bean Ragout

Serves 4-6

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 medium leeks, light green and white part, cleaned and finely chopped

2 pounds portabella mushrooms, trimmed and chopped

1 (141/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice

1 tablespoon fresh finely chopped tarragon or 1 teaspoon dried

Favorite seasoning salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons creme fraiche or whipping cream

1 cup rinsed cooked cannelini beans

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the leeks until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

Add the mushrooms and stir to evenly distribute. Cook until softened, about 4-5 more minutes.

Add the tomatoes and tarragon and simmer until the mixture is nicely browned and thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir with a wooden spoon breaking up the tomato pieces as they soften.

Add the salt and pepper and balsamic and bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce the liquid until it is glaze-like. Reduce the heat and add the cream and beans and mix to combine. Heat for another minute.

Taste for seasoning.

Advance preparation: Can be prepared 4 hours ahead, covered and reheated gently.

Diane Rossen Worthington is an authority on new American cooking. She is the author of 18 cookbooks and is a James Beard award-winning radio show host. Contact her at www.seriouslysimple.com.

Beans may be good for you, but that doesn’t mean every bowl of bean-rich chili is good for your diet.

If you take a look under the hood of many chili recipes, you’ll often find less-than-lean meat. Vegetarian versions fix that, but it’s not impossible to keep the meat and keep it healthy.

If your recipe calls for ground meat, use lean, ground turkey, chicken or even 93-percent lean ground beef.

If you make your chili with chunks of beef, stick to leaner cuts, such as sirloin or bottom round.

Pork loin also works well. Just keep in mind that lean chunked meat dries out easily, so you might want to brown it and add it to the other ingredients just before the chili is finished.
Diced chicken and turkey also can be great in chili, but again, precook it and add it in at the end so it doesn’t dry out and toughen up.

Another way to keep things healthy is to make sure your ratio of meat to beans and vegetables leans more toward the latter ingredients.

It’s always good to load chili up with lots of onions, peppers and tomatoes, or whatever vegetables you like.

This smoky white chili sports plenty of healthy beans, diced green chilies and onions. It gets a smoky taste from ground chipotle chili powder and the charred flavor of grilled boneless, skinless chicken breast.

Top the chili with small amounts of low-fat cheese and reduced-fat sour cream or shredded lettuce and a heap of diced fresh tomatoes.

Smoky White Chili with Grilled Chicken

Time: Start to finish 1 hour (30 minutes active)

Servings: 12

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups chopped yellow onion (2 large)
Two 7-ounce cans diced green chilies
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder, or to taste
Six 15-ounce cans great northern beans or white cannellini beans, rinsed
8 cups (2 quarts) reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/4 cup lime juice

Heat a grill to medium-high.

In a Dutch oven or other large pot over medium-high, heat the oil. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chilies, cumin, oregano and chipotle chili powder. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Stir in the beans and broth and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, grill the chicken until well-browned and an instant-read thermometer registers 165° when inserted at the thickest part of the breast, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and cool for 10 minutes. Cut the grilled chicken into 3/4-inch dice, then set aside.

Using a ladle, transfer 2 cups of the beans and cooking liquid to a bowl and mash with a fork. Stir the mashed beans back into the simmering pot. Add the chicken and lime juice, then cook for 10 minutes more.