My Place at Eight?

Outside of sex, eating is the most primal and sensual act a human being can perform. That means good food isn't just like foreplay, it is foreplay. Once you've taken a girl out once or twice and met her friends, your next stop on the dating train needs to be dinner at your apartment, and it needs to be cooked by you. With the right recipes on your side and a few tricks from yours truly, you can come off like a master chef even if the closest you ever got to culinary school was the sloppy-joe bar in your eighth-grade cafeteria. Knowing how to cook a great meal is akin to having a well-tailored suit in your closet--it makes you look like a million bucks with a minimal amount of effort. The three dates' worth of dishes we present here were specifically chosen to look tantalizing while being nearly impossible to screw up. This will leave your mind free to focus on other important things, such as, say, making conversation and not getting caught staring at her legs. They're also designed to slowly turn up the heat, from the simple elegance of berries and crème fraîche on the first date to oysters, crab and filet mignon on the third. But don't worry--even when the food is extravagant it's still a cinch to make. And bear in mind that all three of these desserts double as fabulous breakfasts should the need arise. To maximize your food's impact, keep a few things in mind as you go. First, women eat with their eyes as much as their mouth. That means presentation counts for half, if not more. Don't skip subtle touches like sprigs of fresh basil or a curl of Parmesan shaved with a carrot peeler. Attention to detail is as important to cooking as it is to sex. Figure out who in your town sells the best vegetables, the best herbs, the best seafood and the best cuts of beef. Buy food in season. Find a wine-store employee who will make you look smart for your $15 purchase. Pick the lady up in the morning with coffee in hand and take her food shopping to five different places; then cook the afternoon away over a blazing Syrah. She'll be asking to keep a toothbrush at your place in no time.

First Date: Effortless Elegance

[recipe_title]Appetizer: Watermelon Gazpacho With Chilies and Feta[/recipe_title]

[recipe]6 large tomatoes, pureed[/recipe]

[recipe]1 serrano chili, pureed[/recipe]

[recipe]8 oz. fresh watermelon, pureed[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tbs. red wine vinegar[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tbs. minced red onion[/recipe]

[recipe]1 cucumber, seeded and minced[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tbs. minced fresh dill[/recipe]

[recipe]Salt and freshly ground black pepper[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese[/recipe]

[recipe]Toss the tomatoes, chili, watermelon, red wine vinegar and olive oil into a blender and pulse. Fold in the onion, cucumber, dill and a little salt and pepper, and you're done. Serve at room temperature. Sprinkle on a little more dill and the feta before serving, to amp up the effect. This one's so easy, it's almost a crime.[/recipe]

[recipe_title]Entrée: Crispy Sesame Chicken Salad[/recipe_title]

[recipe]2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut crosswise into 1-inch-wide finger strips[/recipe]

[recipe]3/4 cup panko bread crumbs[/recipe]

[recipe]1/8 cup sesame seeds[/recipe]

[recipe]Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil[/recipe]

[recipe]Couple of large handfuls stemmed spinach leaves (about four cups)[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 cucumber, peeled and cut into thin strips[/recipe]

[recipe]1 tbs. sesame seeds, toasted in a dry skillet[/recipe]

[recipe_title]Vinaigrette:[/recipe_title]

[recipe]1/4 cup soy sauce[/recipe]

[recipe]Juice of half a lemon[/recipe]

[recipe]1 tbs. rice wine vinegar[/recipe]

[recipe]1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil[/recipe]

[recipe]1 -inch knob fresh ginger, peeled and chopped[/recipe]

[recipe]1 tsp. sugar[/recipe]

[recipe]In a bowl, whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients. Rinse the chicken strips and pat them dry with paper towels. Place them in a large bowl and pour in half the vinaigrette, then toss. Cover and let marinate in the fridge for 15 minutes to two hours. When ready to cook, put the bread crumbs and the sesame seeds in a shallow platter and season with salt and pepper. Roll the chicken pieces in the bread crumb mixture, patting gently, until they're well coated. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook two to three minutes on each side, until golden brown and crispy. Set them aside on paper towels to absorb any grease. Put the spinach and cucumber strips in a bowl, add the rest of the vinaigrette, season with salt and pepper, and toss. Divide the chicken between two plates, top with dressed spinach and cucumber, and shower with toasted sesame seeds and cracked black pepper.[/recipe]

[recipe_title]Dessert: Fresh Strawberries With Crème Fraîche and Brown Sugar[/recipe_title]

[recipe]1 cup fresh strawberries[/recipe]

[recipe]1 cup crème fraîche[/recipe]

[recipe]Squeeze of lemon juice[/recipe]

[recipe]4 tbs. brown sugar[/recipe]

[recipe]Clean the strawberries and place them on a platter. Add lemon juice to the crème fraîche and mix. Serve this mixture and the sugar in separate dipping bowls. Dip the strawberries into each and watch her light up.[/recipe]

[recipe_title]Second Date: (Now She's Hooked Appetizer: Bruschetta With Garden Puree and Truffled Pecorino[/recipe_title]

[recipe]1/2 lb. sugar snap peas, trimmed[/recipe]

[recipe]1 lb. English peas, shelled[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 lb. asparagus tips[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 lb. tender green beans, ends trimmed[/recipe]

[recipe]2/3 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese[/recipe]

[recipe]3 green onions, green parts only, roughly chopped Extra-virgin olive oil[/recipe]

[recipe]Kosher salt and freshly ground black peppers 1 baguette, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices[/recipe]

[recipe]2 cloves garlic, peeled[/recipe]

[recipe]Truffled pecorino cheese shavings[/recipe]

[recipe]Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Add peas, asparagus and beans. Cook for three minutes and drain. Transfer to a bowl of salted ice water to stop the cooking, and drain again. Set aside an eighth of the vegetable mix for garnish; toss the rest into a food processor with ricotta, onion greens, a drizzle of oil, and salt and pepper to taste, then buzz to a puree. Lay baguette slices on a cookie sheet. Drizzle them with olive oil and bake at 350 degrees until golden brown. While they're still warm, rub the toasted pieces with garlic. Spoon on the puree and top with some unpureed vegetable mixture and a shaving of pecorino.[/recipe]

[recipe_title]Entrée: Spaghetti With Oven-Baked Clams, Pancetta, Cherry Tomatoes and Pesto Pesto:[/recipe_title]

[recipe]2 cups fresh basil[/recipe]

[recipe]1 cup fresh Italian parsley[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 cup Parmesan or Romano cheese[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 cup toasted pine nuts[/recipe]

[recipe]4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 tsp. salt[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil[/recipe]

[recipe]Clams:[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil[/recipe]

[recipe]10 garlic cloves, smashed[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 lb. pancetta, diced[/recipe]

[recipe]2 dried red chilies, chopped[/recipe]

[recipe]Handful of fresh basil leaves[/recipe]

[recipe]40 littleneck clams, scrubbed[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup white wine[/recipe]

[recipe]2 pints vine cherry tomatoes, stems still on[/recipe]

[recipe]Freshly ground black pepper to taste[/recipe]

[recipe]1 lb. spaghetti[/recipe]

[recipe]Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place all the pesto ingredients in a food processor, and puree. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and put a medium roasting pan over two stove burners on medium heat. Add the olive oil, garlic, pancetta, chilies and basil and cook three to four minutes, until the pancetta renders. Add the clams, wine, tomatoes and a good amount of pepper and toss it all together. Place the pan in the oven until the clams open (about 10 minutes). Meanwhile, cook the pasta in the boiling water for seven to eight minutes and drain. If timed right, the pasta and clams will be ready at the same time. Pour the pasta into a serving bowl and toss it with the pesto. Pour the clam mixture over top.[/recipe]

[recipe_title]Dessert: Strawberry Sandwiches With Brioche and Brie[/recipe_title]

[recipe]2 slices brioche-style bread[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus 2 tbs. for browning[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup sugar[/recipe]

[recipe]1 jar good-quality strawberry jam[/recipe]

[recipe]1 pint strawberries, cored and sliced[/recipe]

[recipe]6 oz. sliced Brie, at room temperature Confectioners' sugar, for dusting[/recipe]

[recipe]Butter the brioche slices on both sides. Sprinkle one side of each with regular sugar and turn the slices sugared-side down. Spread each slice with jam and cover with a layer of sliced strawberries, then a layer of Brie slices. Cap with the other piece of brioche (sugared side out), and press down gently. Heat one tablespoon of butter in a cast-iron skillet over a burner set to medium-low. Put the sandwich in the dry skillet and cook two to three minutes, until the sugar caramelizes, the bread turns golden and the cheese begins to melt. Flip and cook until the second side is golden. Remove from the pan, dust with confectioners' sugar, and cut into four pieces. Once cooled, the outside of the sandwich should snap like a crème brÛlée. Serve warm with glasses of cold prosecco.[/recipe]

[recipe]Third Date: First Class All the Way[/recipe]

[recipe]Appetizer: Oysters[/recipe]

[recipe]With Caviar and Cantaloupe[/recipe]

[recipe]1 dozen fresh oysters[/recipe]

[recipe]1 large package sea salt[/recipe]

[recipe]Seaweed pieces[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup finely diced cantaloupe[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup crème fraîche[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tbs. good caviar[/recipe]

[recipe]Shuck the oysters and arrange them on the half shell on a serving platter covered with sea salt and a little (text concluded on page 132) My Place(continued from page 74) seaweed (from whoever sells you oysters). Put out the cantaloupe, crème fraîche and caviar in small bowls with serving spoons. Make her one by spooning a little cantaloupe onto the oyster, followed by crème fraîche and caviar.

[recipe_title]Entrée: Grilled Filet Mignon With Spicy Crab Salad[/recipe_title]

[recipe]Extra-virgin olive oil[/recipe]

[recipe]2 premium filets mignon[/recipe]

[recipe]Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper[/recipe]

[recipe]1 pint yellow cherry or grape tomatoes[/recipe]

[recipe]1 bunch arugula, trimmed[/recipe]

[recipe_title]Crab Salad:[/recipe_title]

[recipe]1 pint lump crabmeat[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup mayonnaise[/recipe]

[recipe]1 tbs. chili paste[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tbs. chopped fresh cilantro[/recipe]

[recipe]Juice of 1/2 lime[/recipe]

[recipe]Preheat oven to 400 degrees and put a cast-iron pan over a medium-high burner. Drizzle in a little oil. Season filets all over with salt and pepper and sear for seven to eight minutes until well browned on one side. Turn the meat, place the pan on the middle oven rack, and cook about 20 minutes. While the beef cooks, put the tomatoes on a baking sheet and sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place the sheet on the bottom oven rack and roast until the tomatoes burst (seven to 10 minutes). Dump the tomatoes into a bowl and drizzle with oil, then let cool. When the beef is done, put it on a platter and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Mix all the crab-salad ingredients in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. To serve, cut the filets into slices and arrange on a plate. Top with crab salad, then tomatoes and arugula.[/recipe]

[recipe_title]Dessert: Cracked Chocolate Earth[/recipe_title]

[recipe]With Whipped Cream[/recipe]

[recipe]1 lb. bittersweet chocolate, chopped[/recipe]

[recipe]1 cup unsalted butter[/recipe]

[recipe]9 large eggs, yolks and whites separated[/recipe]

[recipe]3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 tbs.[/recipe]

[recipe]Confectioners' sugar, for dusting[/recipe]

[recipe]1 cup heavy cream, whipped[/recipe]

[recipe]Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a nine-inch springform pan. Heat the chocolate and butter in a metal bowl over, but not touching, an inch of simmering water until chocolate melts. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl. Whisk a tenth or so of the warm chocolate into the egg-yolk mixture to temper it, then whisk in the rest. In a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then fold into chocolate mixture and pour that into the buttered pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it (20 to 25 minutes). Let stand 10 minutes, then unspring the pan. You can either slice it like a cake or scoop it out of the middle into two bowls. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Serve at room temperature with unsweetened whipped cream and a cup of coffee. Don't forget to save a little for breakfast.[/recipe]

You have our permission to eat strawberry sandwiches in bed.