A Romantic Valentine's Day Surf and Turf Meal

There is nothing I love more for Valentine's Day than a nice, romantic meal at home with my fiance Brian so for today's column I bring your a surf and turf meal that is fairly inexpensive and easy to make.

To make this meal I went to my favorite butcher shop, Market Place Meats in Waterford off Cooley Lake Road. There I picked up some beef tenderloin, which they sliced into filets for me, and some jumbo shrimp. I then headed to Hillers Market in Commerce to pick up the rest of my ingredients as well as our favorite beer and a dessert.

To make this meal you will need the following:

For the Surf and Turf

• 6 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveinded with tails intact
• 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 2 teaspoons of chopped fresh thyme, plus two sprigs for the meat
• 6 slices of pancetta
• 1 10-ounce piece of beef tenderloin
• salt and pepper
• 8 asparagus spears
• 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter

For Mashed Potatoes

• 1 pound of  quartered red skin potatoes
• 2/3 cup of half-and-half
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1/2 cup of grated pecorino cheese
• salt and better

For step-by-step instructions scroll through the photo gallery.