When you find yourself alone with the love of your life--or a contender for that role, and you want to serve up an amazingly delicious, yet light seduction meal, this salmon dish will do the trick. Another hit from one of my favorite cookbooks, Mod Mex; this easy dish is made to impress.

The presentation begins when you plate the dish with a coating of Pipian Verde, a simple mole sauce (pronounced MOH-lay) made from roasted tomatillo, garlic, jalepeno peppers, and onions, thickened with toasted pumpkin seeds. Place the pumpkin seed-crusted salmon over the mole sauce, and pour two glasses of a light, crisp white wine. Lift your glasses and toast to your good fortune. Place a forkful of the salmon with the pipian verde into your mouth. Your eyes will slowly close to fully experience the vibrant sensations: the soft crunch of the toasted pumpkin seeds, the silky texture of the salmon complimented by the fresh flavors of the pipian verde. Just divine!

 
pumpkin seed-crusted salmon with pipian verde sauce
Serves 6

basic salsa verde
6 large tomatillos, husked
1 medium yellow onion, quartered
2 cloves garlic
1 to 3 jalapeno or serrano chiles, stemmed and seeded
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the tomatillos, onion, and garlic in the oven and roast for 15 to 30 minutes until lightly browned and soft; or you can grill them until charred. Combine all ingredients in the jar of an electric blender. Add chiles, cilantro, salt and pepper, and puree until the desired consistency; either chunky-smooth or completely smooth. This sauce will last for about a week stored in the refrigerator in a nonreactive container.

pumpkin seeds, salmon and pipian verde sauce
2 cups pumpkin seeds
4 tbsp olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cups salsa verde (see above)
6 skinless salmon fillets
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten

If you are cooking for 2 - 4 just use less salmon fillets and 1 egg white
I would make all of the pipian verde. You can use this for other dishes, even a dip with chips or crudite.
Note: You will need a large, oven-safe nonstick skillet to finish this dish off in the oven.

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees F.

Toss the pumpkin seeds in 2 tablespoons of the oil, season lightly with salt and pepper, and spread evenly on a baking sheet to lightly brown and become crisp, 5-7 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. Remove the pumpkin seeds and turn the oven up to 375 degrees F.

In the jar of an electric blender, pulse the pumpkin seeds until just coarsely ground. Do not over blend. Remove half of the seeds and set them aside in a flat dish or pie plate. Save a few pumpkin seeds to garnish each dish.  Pour the salsa verde into the jar with the remaining seeds and puree until smooth.

Season the salmon with salt and pepper and brush the top side of each fillet lightly with egg white. Carefully press the egg-coated side into the ground pumpkin seeds

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large, oven-safe nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until very hot.  Add the fillets, crusted side down, and transfer the pan to the oven for 3 minutes, or until the crust is lightly browned and crispy. Using a spatula or tongs, turn the fish, return the pan to the oven and cook for 3 more minutes, cook the fish to medium. Add 1 more minute of cooking if you prefer your fish more well done.

While the fish is cooking, in a small saucepan, heat the Pipian Verde sauce over medium heat until hot.

Coat each dinner plate with about 1/3 cup of the sauce, lay a fillet on top, garnish with a few toasted pumpkin seeds, and serve.

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The first time I ever tried a soft-shell crab po' boy I was in New Orleans eating at a place, that in my opinion, served up the best--Ugeslich's. Not much for a hero sandwiches (give or take a few), this sandwich blew me away. So much so, that every trip to New Orleans started with a meal of this splendid treat, plus some oysters and a cold beer or two served by the owners, Anthony and Gail Uglesich. On my last trip to NO, I was saddened to hear the restaurant closed. It was a conversation before Hurricane Katrina, so it wasn't a complete surprise.

So, in this glorious soft shell crab season, I tip my hat to Anthony and Gail for the many years of culinary seduction they gave us all, while I prepare one of the few sandwiches I would consider serving as a Seduction Meal.

panko crusted soft shell crab po' boy

2 cleaned soft-shell crabs
flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup Japanese Panko breadcrumbs
Peanut or Vegetable oil
Crusty Italian or French bread
mayonnaise (you can use plain, garlic aioli, a basil or cilantro mayonnaise)
mixed green lettuce
sliced cherry tomatoes
fresh squeezed lemon
garnish: sliced scallions

• In a deep heavy-bottom pan, heat 1 inch of peanut oil over high heat. You want the oil to cover the crab 1/2 way
• Dredge cleaned soft-shell crab in flour, coating all side
• Dip floured crabs into beaten eggs and then dredge into panko breadcrumbs, coating well
• Reduce heat to medium and place the soft shell crabs into the pan
• Fry crabs until golden brown and cooked through, turning a few times so as not to burn
• Drain the crabs on paper towels using a rack

• Warm the bread for the sandwich in the oven for about 3 minutes
• Remove the bread from the oven. Slather mayonniase on both sides
• Lay a small hand-ful of greens on the bottom of the sandwich and top with one of the crabs
• the legs will hang over the sandwich--this is a good effect and allows you to nibble on the legs first
• Next add sliced cherry tomatoes, sqeeze fresh lemon juice over sandwich, and garnish with scallions
• Salt and Pepper to taste, and dig in. I like a nice chilled glass of beer with my sandwich
• Here's to you Ugelsich's! We miss you  xoxoxo

You can purchase an Ugelsich's Cookbook if you are a fan.

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When it comes to baking, this is a simple, yet completely satisfying sweet treat--a peach blueberry galette. To many, this is less complicated, and less time than baking a pie. Galette is a general French term used to designate different types of round and flat crusty cakes. Its more of a free form pastry. You can use any fruit combo you wish--plums, raspberries, cherries whatever you like. Go for what's in season--buying fresh, ripe fruit will make all the difference imparting a more intense flavor. Serve this warm with a dollop of creme fraiche or whipped cream, and your favorite tea or coffee to give you energy for the next course.Yummy!




peach blueberry galette

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt
6 tbsp unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
6 tbsp vegetable shortening, chilled
3 tbsp ice water

3 peaches, cut in 1/4 inch wedges
about 1/4 cup sugar--use more or less depending on how sweet the fruit is
1/2 pint of blueberries
1 egg yolk
2 tsp heavy cream
sliced almonds

In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar, and salt. Add butter and pulse just to coat pieces with flour. Add shortening and do the same, pulsing to cover with flour - you will wind up with "pea-size" pieces of shortening. Transfer dough to a bowl. Gradually add ice cold water, tossing with a fork to moisten. Briefly and gentely knead dough to form a ball. Set aside

Place sliced peaches in a bowl and add 2 tbsp of sugar and toss.  In a separate bowl, add blueberries and 1 tbsp of sugar.

Preheat oven to 425 F. On a lightly floured surface roll out dough to a 12" circle about 1/8" thick. Gently lift and place this onto a cookie sheet covered with parchment.

Starting about 1 1/2 inches from the edge, place peach slices in two circles. Add blueberries to the center and add a few over the galette decoratively.

Fold over the edge of the dough, overlapping the fruit. Sprinkle a small handful of sliced almonds over the fruit. You can also use glazed pecans. Next, whisk together the egg yolk and cream and brush this mixture over the rim of the galette. Sprinkle the remaining sugar over the galette and the rim.

Bake until browned, about 20 - 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes. Loosen the edges and center with a spatula. Lift the parchment to a cooling rack and carefully slide off onto the cooling rack or platter. Serve warm with a dollop of cream.

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If you are looking for a fulfilling main-dish salad to serve up for your next seduction meal, consider the French inspired, colorful Salad Nicoise. Grilled tuna steak served over a medley of potatoes, kalamata olives, tomatoes, boiled eggs, and anchovies. For an added twist, I've topped this salad with a stream of green garlic cilantro sauce.


Salad Nicoise
1 cup of mixed greens, washed and set aside to dry
2 medium to hard-boiled eggs
6 small yukon or red potatoes, boiled
pitted Kalamata olives
hericot vert, steamed, enough for two
anchovies (optional)

Prepare all ingredients and set aside while you prepare the dressing, cilantro sauce, and tuna steaks.

Lemon Salad Dressing
I like this salad dressing from cooks.com / serves 6

1/4 c. sugar
Juice of 1 lg. lemon (3 scant tbsp.)
1 egg yolk
6 tbsp. vegetable oil

Place sugar in medium bowl. Add lemon juice and whisk until most of sugar is dissolved. Add yolk and whisk until sugar is completely dissolved. Add oil 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking constantly until dressing is thick and creamy. Cover and refrigerate. To serve, re-whisk dressing, if necessary. Pour over salad and toss gently.

Cilantro Sauce
Go to the link above for the cilantro sauce recipe. Instead of using a garlic infused dressing, I preferred to add garlic to this delicious sauce. Also, as you will see, the original recipe prefers that sauce is blended until creamy. I preferred small garlic pieces for this version. You can reduce the recipe in half or use the left over sauce for sandwiches or dinner tomorrow night.

Seared Tuna
2 tuna steaks, the best grade you can find, about 1 inch thick
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 lemon

Add olive oil to cast iron skillet, over medium high flame. Salt and pepper each steak. Place fish in skillet; add a sqeeze of fresh lemon juice over fish. Cook 3 minutes on one side, turn over and add balsamic vinegar. Cook for 2-3 minutes on this side, or until medium-rare or desired degree of doneness. Remove tuna from the skillet and heat immediately.

Plating the Dish

Place a handful of mixed greens each plate. Arrange the string beans, tomatoes, olives, potatoes and sliced boiled eggs on the plate. Drizzle with salad dressing. The various colors of these ingredients make for a visually beautiful presentation. Top the salad with a grilled Tuna steak and a stream of the garlic cilantro sauce.  Add anchovies (optional).

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Rick from Philadelphia sent this vegetarian seduction meal, Middle Eastern Rice with Black Beans and Chickpeas served with roasted eggplant with shrimp and mushroom stuffing.

Why is this a seduction meal to me? After 40-plus years on this god-forsaken planet, I finally realized that the most important thing to a woman is to make her feel not just special, but that she is the most important thing to you. If all comes down to the little thoughts and considerations. So, when I found out that my girl was a vegetarian and one of my favorite meals included a mix of rice, beans, and meat (turkey)....I just tweaked the recipe to accommodate HER needs. I am a simple man-beast and will eat everything, so this "flexibility" allowed me to give her something that is important to her--a delicious vegetarian meal cooked with love.

Middle Eastern Rice with Black Beans and Chickpeas
Allrecipes.com

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup uncooked basmati rice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 quart chicken stock
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
2 (15 ounce) cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 bunch chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
1 bunch chopped fresh parsley (optional)
1/4 cup pine nuts (optional)
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic, and cook 1 minute. Stir in rice, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cayenne pepper. Cook and stir 5 minutes, then pour in chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.
2. Place the turkey in a skillet over medium heat, and cook until evenly brown.
3. Gently mix cooked turkey, garbanzo beans, black beans, cilantro, parsley, and pine nuts into the cooked rice. Season with salt and pepper.

Eggplant with Shrimp and Mushroom Stuffing
Allrecipes.com
Rick added shrimp to the original recipe

1 small eggplant
1 tablespoon salt
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup butter, cubed
3/4 cup soft bread crumbs
1/2 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
Dash pepper
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1. Cut eggplant in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/4-in.-thick shell. Set shell aside. Chop pulp; place in a colander over a plate. Sprinkle with salt; let stand for 30 minutes. Blot moisture with a paper towel.
2. In a skillet, saute eggplant pulp and onion in butter until tender. Add the bread crumbs, mushrooms, parsley and 3. Place in a greased 8-in. square baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese; bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Serve this with your favorite white wine and a little candle light.

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San Francisco is a city filled with some of the best chefs and restaurants in the country. Add its close proximity to world-class wineries and you can easily understand why so many food enthusiasts travel to this city to revel in its culinary delights.

With this in mind, I happily purchased a cookbook that lets me bring San Francisco's top recipes to my Seduction Meal arsenal-- 86 San Francisco, a concept cookbook designed to look and feel like a traditional recipe box with 86 recipe cards. Each card features one authentic recipe, adapted for home cooks, from a selection of top restaurants in the Bay Area. Included are recipes from Chez Panisse, Gary Danko, Michael Mina, Boulevard, and One Market to name a few. In addition to San Francisco, 86 Recipes offers recipes from the top restaurants in New Orleans and and New York as well. Here is one example of an 86 San Francisco recipe.

Created by Michael Mina restaurant, this recipe for Butter-Poached Main Lobster wrapped in vanilla crepes served with a coconut Thai creme sauce is one of the many gems you will find in this cookbook. I've also had much success serving up char-grilled oysters with roquefort cheese and red-wine vinaigrette which is a recipe from the 86 New Orleans recipe box by Chef Scott Snodgrass of One Restaurant & Lounge in New Orlean

Butter-Poached Main Lobster with Vanilla Crepes
Serves 4

Note: For this recipe you will need a fine mesh strainer, and allow at least 30 minutes for the crepes to rest in the refrigerator. You might want to prepare the dough first, refrigerate and proceed to the Thai Coconut Reduction.

Thai Coconut Reduction
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 inch of ginger, peeled and sliced
6 shallots, peeled and sliced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 stalk lemongrass, chopped
2 Tbsp Thai red curry paste
1 cup mirin
1 cup orange juice
10 oz unsweetened coconut milk, canned
2 cups heavy cream
1 bunch cilantro, chopped

• Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed medium sauce pot over a medium flame
• Just before the oil begins to smoke, add the ginger, shallots, garlic and lemongrass. Stir to coat well with the oil.
• Saute for 3-4 minutes until very fragrant.
  
• Add the curry and stir well. Cook for an additional 2 minutes
• Add the mirin and orange juice to the pot and reduce the heat so the liquid just simmers. Reduce until half the liquid is gone.
• Add the coconut milk, cream, and cilantro
• Simmer for about 20 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the flavors have come together. Strain through a mesh strainer and hold warm.
  

Vanilla Crepes

6 oz all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp sugar
6 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 of a vanilla bean, seeds scraped
3 whole eggs
3 egg yolks
Nonstick spray

• Sift the flour, sugar, and salt together in to a mixing bowl
• Place the butter, 1/2 cup of the milk, vanilla bean pulp and pod in a small pan and heat gently to melt the butter
• Once the butter has melted, temper the mixture into the remaining cold milk and then whisk in eggs.
  
• Combine the liquid into the dry ingredients being sure that there are no flour lumps
• Strain the mixture through a fine strainer to remove any lumps and the vanilla been seeds/pod
• Allow the batter to rest for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator before using. Batter can be made up to a day ahead of time
• When you are ready to cook the crepes, place a 6-inch nonstick pan over a medium-low flame. Be sure to allow the pan to fully preheat before attempting to make any crepes. Generously spray the pan with nonstick spray and ladle about 1/4 cup crepe batter into the pan swirling to coat.
  
• If there is any excess of batter, pour it off before returning the pan to the heat.
  
• Return the pan to the heat and allow it to set--this should take about 30-45 seconds. Once the edges just begin to look "dry", the crepe is done. You do not need to flip the crepe to release the crepe.
• As you make the crepes, lay them onto an oiled piece of parchment paper or platter to cool. Continue working until you have the desired number of crepes.
• Once the crepes have cooled, cover loosely with plastic wrap so they won't dry out.

Lobster

1/4 cup Sauvignon Blanc
1/4 cup chilled butter, cut into chunks
4 sprigs of thyme
1 fresh bay leaf
Kosher salt and black pepper
(4) 3-4 oz lobster tails, shelled

Garnishes

Jalapeno slices (optional)
basil leaves
orange sections

• Place a medium sauce pan over a low flame
• Add the wine to the pan and heat until small bubbles form.
• Working with one chunk of butter at a time, whisk until incorporated. The butter should stay emulsified and thick
• Add the herbs and season ot taste. Keep the pan on a low flame
• When ready to serve, season the lobster tails and place into the butter-herb sauce.
• Poach the lobster tails for about 8 minutes until just cooked through. Remove them from the butter and place onto a platter.

Assembly

• Working with two Vanilla Crepes at  time, lay them onto your work surface, overlapping one third, in a figure-eight shape
• Place one lobster tail at the edge of the crepe and roll it up like a cigar. Trim any excess off the ends. Continue until all 4 tails have been rolled.
• Place the lobster tails onto an oven-proof tray, brush them lightly with some of the lobster cooking butter and  place into a 350 degree F oven for about 3-4 minutes, just to heat through.

Plating the Dish

• Once the crepes are hot, carefully slice each tail into 3 sections and place in the center of a small dish cut-side up.
• Spoon the Thai Coconut Reduction around the plate
• Finish with the garnishes

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An intoxicating Mexican sauce made from a blend of chocolate, chiles, garlic, onions, nuts and more, depending on the chef, this chicken mole (pronounced MOH-lay) is an enchanting elixir well-suited for your next Seduction Meal. With its rich reddish-brown hue, a flash of heat, and a hint of chocolate you'll be amazed as bold, mysterious flavors flirtatiously dance on your palette.

This recipe was submitted to Seduction Meals by Stefan of NYC.

"Have you ever had a real homemade milk shake?  So rich, thick and creamy? Your taste buds in 7th heaven? Well, that's what real mole sauce is like, not the thickening agents plus chocolate plus sugar variety.  My favorite mole sauce is from a company called El Costeno and is made with 3 different kinds of chiles, mulato, pasilla and ancho. Yes, there is chocolate in the ingredients, just a hint (remember my motto, "a little surprise goes a long way"). Serve this dish with your favorite ice cold beer and a slice of lime, or go for margaritas. One bite and you'll both be chanting, Holy Mole!"


chicken mole and guacamole
serves two

roast chicken
1/2 chicken, quartered
El Costeno mole sauce

preparing the chicken and mole sauce
I get the best Mole Sauce made by El Costeno, at a little Mexican grocer in New York. You can call El Costeno at 973-652-3756 to find out their distribution. Normally, I make sauces from scratch, but why waste precious time in the kitchen when El Costeno does it perfectly, allowing me to spend more time with my lady.

Boil 1 cup water, slowly stir in 2 tbsp of mole sauce at a time adding more mole until sauce is thick and creamy.
Place chicken on aluminum foil on a baking sheet; pour over mole sauce; place another aluminum foil sheet over top and crimp edges tight (you want to seal in the juices). Bake at 350 for approx. 40 minutes.

Another resource for Mole Sauce can be found at MexGrocer.com, and of course there are recipes for making this from sauce from scratch if you wish..

guacamole
4 avocados, ripe
1/2 small yellow onion
1/2 yellow, orange or red pepper (adds color to the guacamole)
2 heaping tbsp finely chopped cilantro

Gently mash the avocados into small chunks, being careful not over mash. Mix in remaining ingredients and set aside until ready to serve.

plating the dish
Arrange the chicken on a plate.Spoon extra mole sauce over the chicken, Garnish with a pinch of finely chopped cilantro. Add side of guacamole with a tortilla chip inserted in the middle. You can top this with sliced tomatoes and onions if you like.


And if you are a true mole fan, don't miss out on the annual Mole Fair in San Pedro Atocpan, Mexico, a little city about 2 hours outside of Mexico City, held September - October.

Calling all foodies, gourmets and hot food fanatics. Have you ever eaten meat, chilli and chocolate together? If not, then the Mole Fair of San Pedro Atocpan (Feria Nacional del Mole) is calling you.Mole, sometimes known as mole poblano, is a pre-Colombian recipe with a combination of ingredients that would turn your mother's face green, if she knew you were eating it.Chillies are the main ingredient. Mulato, ancho, pasila and chipotle chillies along with unsweetened chocolate are what gives it the tanned black colour. Sesame seeds, garlic, ground cloves, coriander and cinnamon infuse the dish with multiple flavours. Other ingredients include turkey, lard, onion, tomatoes, raisins and sugar.

The fair dates back to 1978 and takes place in the mole capital, San Pedro Atocpán, which boasts some 50 mole mills where the ingredients are ground, sorted and packaged before being sent all over the world. Other attractions at the fair include a rodeo and fireworks.

review from NY Times

By CINDY PRICE
Published: November 17, 2006

......When most Americans hear the word mole, they often think specifically of mole poblano, but there are several types of moles, in a variety of colors and flavors -- and not all of them include chocolate. I had just witnessed this diversity firsthand at the annual October Mole Festival in San Pedro Atocpan, a tiny farming town on the outskirts of Mexico City. In the kiosks there, women slapped at big balls of dough, shaping fresh tortillas to scoop up mole from steaming pots. Local suppliers waved their hands magicianlike over fat slabs of mole paste -- varying shades of rich brown mole poblanos; bright green cilantro-infused mole verdes; orangey-red pipián moles made with pumpkin seeds; peanut-butterlike cacahuate moles; and mole almendrado, a dark almond mole that's the local pride of San Pedro Atocpan..... Continue Reading...

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This salacious recipe was sent to Seduction Meals by John of Amherst, MA. Get ready for an overwhelming sensation of pure pleasure. "Chocolat Pot de Creme is pure seduction. It's best eaten warm when it is silky and flows over your tongue--the deep taste of chocolate taken in your mouth in the form of soft, silky waves. The seduction is so deep you must take it slowly. Pot de Creme are closest to heavenly when eaten warm and served with a dollop of whip cream"


chocolat pot de creme
makes 6 to 8 Pot de Creme cups...you know you'll want more than one!

2 cups light cream

1/8 cup sugar

4 oz. semi sweet chocolate

6 yolks

1/4 tsp. vanilla

pinch of salt

These are best made in proper Pot de Creme containers with lids. If other types of ramekins are used they must be covered tightly with tin foil. The surface of the custard must never be exposed throughout the bake.

Directions

• Place 6 yolks in bowl
• Place 1 1/2 cups light cream, pinch of salt and sugar in a heavy bottom sauce pan. Heat over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.
• Chop chocolate into small pieces. In a second heavy bottom pan place chocolate and 1/2 cup cream over low heat. Warm just to melt chocolate until the mixture is smooth. Add vanilla. Note: Avoid excessive heat. Do not cook chocolate. If you prefer, you can melt chocolate in a ban marie instead.
• Slowly add cream/sugar mixture to chocolate, lightly stir to maintain a even texture.
• Whisk a small amount of the hot chocolate mixture into the yolks. Add the yolk mixture back into the chocolate and stir over low heat until slightly thicker. Stir constantly.
• Strain chocolate mixture using a medium mesh strainer into a liquid measuring cup with a lip. Carefully pour into Pot de Creme containers (with lids) or foil covered ramekins. fill about 3/4 of the  way full, making sure chocolate is not touching the surface of the lid or aluminum foil when covered.
  

• Bake in a water bath at 300 degrees until the custard is still very "jiggly" on top. Plus/Minus 30 minutes. It's VERY important to remove the custard from the oven when the surface is still quite loose.
• Cooking time varies with size of containers and individual ovens. Do not over cook. It will continue to cook after removed from oven as well as set as they cool.
• Serve with a dollop of whipped cream on top

When baking you need to keep checking the consistency of the custard by removing the lids with tongs and tapping the side of the containers. The Pots de Creme is done when it has a loose jiggle. The whole idea with this dessert is to have it be really silky. You want it to be just thick enough to sit on a the spoon when you are eating it. The longer you bake it the harder the final product will be. the aim is a chocolat pot de creme that is silky, smooth and melts on your tongue. MMmmm!

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Another saporous recipe sent to SeductionMeals.com by Stefan in NYC: Fig 'n Frisee Four-Play Salad

"I know what all of you are thinking. Friggin' easy, right? Fore-play, right?  Well, it is easy, and this four-play will certainly prime your appetite for the other fore-play. Let's start out with our four-play: sweet, citric, crunchy, and crumbly. The sweetness is derived from figs and sun-dried tomatoes, both originating from the Mediterranean (birthplace of sensuality) and the Garden of Eden (we all know what the fig leaf was used for).  Lemon is next giving the salad and our taste buds subtle surprise (remember a little surprise goes a long way).  Next is texture; the crispness of the frisee and spinach (both must be fresh and chilled) along with the tender pine nuts imparts the crunchy, and the cheese and smoked fish imparts the crumbly. When the two textures, combined with sweetness and citric come together in your mouth....oh, behave!"


Fig 'n Frisee Four-Play Salad
Serves Two: Use large salad bowls

1 bunch of baby spinach leaves (1/2 bag)

1/2 head of frisee

1/4 cup of smoked peppered fish (bluefish or mackerel), coarsely flaked. If peppered can't be found, plain smoked is fine.

1/4 cup Papillon Roquefort cheese (or your favorite blue cheese), coarsely crumbled

5 figs, quartered

8 very fine julienned lemon peels

4 sun-dried tomatoes, finely julienned

2 tbsp pine nuts

8 - 12 pitted olives, green and black

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

salt and coarsely ground pepper to taste


Salad Preperation

Coarsely tear the spinach leaves along with the frisee and soak in a salad spinner with iced water(a half dozen ice cubes should do the trick). Set aside.  Next, crumble the smoked peppered fish (skin removed) by hand keeping the pieces small bite size.  Set aside. Ditto the Roguefort cheese, keeping the pieces even smaller. Roguefort has a strong pungent taste, so you don't want to overwhelm your taste buds with pieces too large).  Set aside. 

Quarter the figs (slice length-wise once, turn keeping the fig together, and slice again); juliennethe lemon peels into very slender slivers, about 1 to 1 1/2 inch long.  Ditto the sun-dried tomatoes, thicker slivers, about the same length as the lemon peel.  Slice half the green and black olives width-wise, making nickel-size rings.  Set everything aside. 

Combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper, mix and set aside.

Drain the spinach and frisee making sure all ice has melted.  Spin to remove all water.  Spin again for the last drops.  At this point, I like to put the spinach and frisee and the Roguefort cheese, separate of course, in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes to get it thoroughly chilled and make sure the cheese stays crumbly. 

While you're waiting, pour your guest and yourself a wonderful white wine, full bodied, and have an enchanting discussion on Mediterranean culture (skip Aristotle and gently go to olive trees and sensuality and, uh, you know what I mean!). Pour yourselves another glass of wine (next try Brigitte Bardot, "And God Created Woman", or "Zorba the Greek", Anthony Quinn, quote, "God is very understanding, but there is one thing he will never forgive!  When a woman calls a man to her bed and he will not go!  This I know, because a very wise old Turk once told me.").

Plating the Dish

Remove the spinach and frisee and Roguefort cheese from the refrigerator. Use two large plates or large shallow soup bowls and arrange the greens so as not to overflow the sides. Sprinkle over the greens two tablespoons of the oil/vinegar mixture.  Next, sprinkle on top the smoked fish and Roguefort cheese, the whole green and black olives, evenly arrange the figs on top, add the sun-dried tomatoes and pine nuts. 

Garnish with julienned lemon peels and sliced green and black olives on top.  It should look quite mesmerizing with all the different colors and shapes popping through. Sprinkle with two more tablespoons of oil/vinegar mixture on each plate.  A little fresh cracked pepper on top and Voila!  Enjoy!

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