Sweeten your menu throughout February with creative dishes showcasing chocolate as the primary ingredient. With Valentine's Day around the corner, indulge your guests by featuring savory, chocolate-infused dishes, going beyond dessert offerings with some of these menu suggestions.
Chocolate Drizzle
Spruce up your signature salad with a chocolate-accented balsamic vinaigrette. This innovative concoction could pair well with classic wedge salads and hearty mixed greens. Or revitalize roasted vegetable dishes such as carrots, sweet potatoes, or beets with a drizzle of chocolate balsamic dressing for a rich sweetness to swoon over.
Mole Magic
Mole, derived from the Aztec word molli, meaning sauce, is used to describe a sauce spiced with earthy, rich flavor. Create a luscious chocolate mole sauce with premium blends of Dutch and natural cocoa using West Creek® Chocolate Syrup — easy-to-prep and delectable in taste. The deep, complex notes of chocolate add a unique depth to savory dishes, enhancing the flavor of enchiladas, chicken tacos, tamales, and other signature Mexican dishes.
Fusion BBQ
Upgrade your BBQ game with Chocolate Chipotle BBQ Ribs. The addition of semisweet cocoa in the sauce brings a savory richness that perfectly balances the smoky, spicy chipotle sauce. Other considerations include adding cocoa to your rub mixture or slow-cooking short ribs in a mole sauce, creating an unexpected and delightful harmony of flavors.
Choco-Chili Bliss
Overhaul your traditional chili recipe and bring warmth to vegetarian and meat chili dishes with unsweetened chocolate or cocoa powder. The interplay of chocolate with chiles quickly boosts the flavor of hearty chili, countering the heat with a subtle hint of sweet, smooth chocolate. This addition acts as an inventive way to thicken the dish.
Steak Extravaganza
The creamy, bold, and velvety notes of chocolate complement any savory steak. Level up your steak game with filet mignon topped with red wine and dark chocolate sauce. Create a cocoa spice mixture for ribeyes or partner crushed coffee and dark chocolate sauce served on a juicy tenderloin steak.
Chocolate Rising
Entice early rising diners with red velvet chocolate crepes, dark chocolate waffles, or decadent French toast. Use chocolate syrup to whip up chocolate gravy and biscuits or as a drizzle over chocolate chip pancakes. Add Heritage Ovens® Semisweet Chocolate Chips, made with high quality ingredients, to any of these breakfast recommendations for the perfect ooey-gooey, slow melting bite. Consider chocolate and cherry muffins, chocolate and peanut butter oatmeal, or chocolate zucchini bread for grab-and-go options.
Beverage Boost
Don't forget the beverage menu — craft exquisite chocolate cocktails and mocktails! Guests will love sipping a rich and creamy Chocolate Chip Frappuccino, blending velvety chocolate with the refreshing chill of a frappuccino. Add a fun shot with molded shot glasses made of cookie dough and filled with Bailey's (or milk for the kiddos). Use it to rim or coat glasses for an added sweet surprise. Keep it traditional by infusing cacao nibs with rye whiskey and serve a surprising Chocolate Old Fashioned.
