Instructions: Deft kitchen work could lead to even better things, By Ron Ottobre TIMES CORRESPONDENT

Oysters and Caviar

ITS THE PREGNANT pause I dread most. The one that begins after "Im sorry, we only have 10:30 left."

We both know its too late. But that wont break the quiet. Where theres silence, theres hope.

As the chef at Mudds in San Ramon for a decade, Ive seen too many Valentines-dinner hopes shattered. I couldnt face another year of broken hearts. So this year I offer an at-home alternative: a dummy-proof dinner laced with aphrodisiacs.

Before I set out shopping for this test dinner, I give myself some guidelines: There will be five courses; each course will have an ingredient with a romantic reputation; they will all satisfy without being too filling; and, above all, none will take more than a few minutes to prepare. I also want dishes that work well on a single plate - so my wife Nancy and I can share.

Diablo Foods in Lafayette is my first stop (like Whole Foods, Berkeley Bowl and Andronicos, this market is always inspiring). And dessert is the first course I plan. Perusing the produce section, I grab what looks and smells erotic. The strawberries are a brilliant crimson. OK, strawberries and chocolate. Yeah. Chocolate mousse and strawberries, thats it. Nancy would love it.

I discover beautiful asparagus - the first sign spring is on its way. The spears would be fantastic dressed up with a few drops of truffle oil and shaved parmesan. A good, easy salad course.

I spy crisp fennel bulbs, their aphrodisiac history well documented in Mediterranean cultures, their subtle flavor ideal for soup.

Passing the fresh fish in the iced case, I spot a mound of Blue Point oysters. Agreed. They would be a perfect first course, and to be absolutely decadent, I would top them with a little caviar.

But what about the main course?

So far I had conceived two appetizers, a soup and a dessert. Then, there they were - beautiful New York steaks in the meat display case. Well-marbled and thick, nearly a pound apiece. One would do for the both of us. Not having any time to make stock, I consider beurre rouge - a savory red-wine butter sauce - infused with fresh sage. Medieval Europeans believed that a sage leaf entwined with a hair of your beloved created an amulet that would procure her undying love. Sage beurre rouge it was.

Now I had a menu. I buy my groceries and head up the street to Trader Joes to buy some specialty items. Exotic vinegars, wines and quality chocolate fall into my cart.

Walking in the door, my honey smiles at the bulging grocery bags and wants a peek. Grinning, I tell her its a secret and head into the kitchen.

The game is on

I decide to make the dessert first, since the chocolate mousse needs to chill awhile to firm up.

I grab a whisk and three stainless steel bowls: one for the mousse base; one for whipping the cream, and one to whip the egg whites.

I pour a little leftover coffee into one of the bowls with a packet of plain gelatin and place it over water in a sauce pan over the stove. I gradually warm up the pan, and add my chocolate to the bowl letting it slowly melt. I beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, add a little sugar and remove the bowl from the heat. While its cooling, I whip the cream until firm, and whip my egg whites until just stiff.

Now comes the fun part. I whisk in a little of the whipped cream to the room-temperature chocolate mix. Then I fold in the rest of the cream, followed by the egg whites. Into the fridge it goes (minus a fingerful). The hardest part of the dinner is done.

I rinse my strawberries and slice them, cutting the biggest one into a fan.

At the last minute, I decide to puree most of the sliced berries in the blender with a little sugar and lemon juice. I strain the sauce and put it and the fanned berry in the fridge.

Into second gear

I mince some shallots. Half go into a vinaigrette for my oysters. The rest into a pan with merlot, vinegar and chopped sage leaves - for my butter sauce.

I tackle the soup course with gusto (fennel is said to increase amatory vigor.) With its mild licorice flavor, the soup will clear the palate for later dishes.

I saute some diced sweet red onion in a little olive oil. I add my garlic and chopped fennel (saving some nice thin raw slices for garnish). After a few minutes I toss in some white wine and a cup of vegetable broth, and let it simmer for 10 minutes.

I carefully puree the soup in the blender, checking the consistency and adding a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of salt. I pour it back into the saucepan and set it aside.

Having two courses ready, I treat myself to a sip of merlot. I put a pot of water on to boil for the asparagus and start reducing my wine and vinegar for the beurre rouge.

I trim off the tough ends of my asparagus and blanch the spears for just a minute or two, until tender but not flaccid. I flash chill them in ice water (to keep them crisp and retain their color), dry them off and toss them in a bowl with a sprinkle of sherry vinegar, a few drops of truffle oil, sea salt and fresh cracked blacked pepper. I set them aside at room temperature, and ready the salads garnishes: parmesan shavings and thinly sliced rounds of blood orange.

I now turn my sights to the steak.

My plan is to sear it rare, and let the steak slowly heat through in the oven - which I turn on to its lowest setting.

Using the flat side of a large knife, I crush a teaspoon of whole black peppercorns. As I crack the pepper into bits, that distinctive smoky aroma tickles my nose.

With paper towels, I dry off my New York steak. I always buy Angus, Niman Ranch or Harris Ranch beef. Theyre expensive and worth it.

Now were cookin

I press the cracked black pepper into both sides of the steak and season it with sea salt. I heat a cast iron saute pan until smoking - turn on the exhaust fan - and add a tablespoon of oil to the pan. I sear the steak on high heat for two to three minutes on each side, so it has a nice crust and then transfer it to the oven. Ill let it rest there while I finish up my prep and get through the first three courses. I remember to put two soup bowls in the oven as well.

I check my sauce reduction and see the liquid is nearly gone. I quickly cut a very cold stick of butter into cubes. Then, keeping the pan over low, low heat, I add a few cubes at a time, whisking all the while until the butter is just incorporated and the sauce is creamy. I take it off the heat and add a pinch of salt.

I put the sauce on top of the stove in a warm - not hot - spot so it neither congeals nor breaks, but stays warm and creamy. I ready the garnishes for my steak so I can quickly assemble the main course when the time comes. I put a little cleaned spring mix in a bowl and put it in the fridge along with an avocado that I have halved and carefully spooned out.

The curtain is about to rise.

I rinse and open my oysters, leaving the meat in the largest shell and taking care to remove any broken bits of shell. I arrange the oysters on a white napkin that Ive arranged on a black plate. I put a little vinaigrette on each oyster, top them with a dollop of caviar, and garnish the plate with some lemon wedges and a parsley sprig.

I double-check all my prep and have another fingerful of mousse. Its time to break out the red tablecloth and set the silver.

Final preparations

I place some roses on the table, light the candle and pop the Champagne - just as my sweetie, having long ago figured it all out, saunters in dressed in black and pearls. We make a toast and she knowingly asks me what this is all about. I blush, disappear into the kitchen and answer her question with a plate of glistening oysters.

After slurping down the last two of the sweet-salty creatures, we set the shells on the table and lean forward for a kiss. I refill her glass, take a sip of Champagne myself, and return to the kitchen.

I give the asparagus a quick toss in the bowl and arrange the spears on a white plate, pouring the excess dressing on top. I grind some pepper on the plate then garnish the spears with my shaved parmesan. On the side of the asparagus I lay two rounds of blood orange, a symbol of passion. I decide to add a few more droplets of truffle oil. Ive been gone from the table less then two minutes.

With the asparagus plate in hand, I get some fire under the soup, give it a quick stir, and head out.

The truffle oil hits my nose as I walk in the dining room. Tangled with the nutty air of parmesan, its a scent only Cupid could contrive.

Sharing

I place the plate between us, and we playfully eat the perfumed spears with our fingers. When theres less than a handful left, I decide to bring on the steaming soup, an easy task. Im back in the kitchen and I turn up the flame, give the soup a stir, slice my French bread and bring it with some butter out to the table. I return to give the soup another stir, and ladle it into my hot bowls. I sprinkle the bisque with my garnishes and go. I dont want to lose any momentum.

We eat the soup silently, watching each others expressions in the candlelight. Its going well.

She offers to help me clear the table, but I hear none of it. I whisk all our plates and debris away, leaving only the two oyster shells.

In the kitchen, I pour glasses of merlot from the bottle used for my sauce, and then ready the steak.

I slice my avocado on the diagonal and fan it out on the top of the plate.

I cut the steak in similar fashion and fan it along the base.

I toss my lettuce with a few droplets of olive oil and tuck it in, along with a couple of sage leaves, between the steak and avocado.

I bring the merlot to the table and retrieve the Champagne flutes and bottle, which I see is not empty. I put it in the freezer to rechill. I spoon my beurre rouge along the edge of the steak and bring it out.

The food, the candlelight, the wine. Its all just right. I see the clock on the wall and realize I had started shopping just three hours ago.

The main course - the softness of avocado, the crunch of lettuce and the chewy steak - make her swoon. We only stop eating when, after some determined prying on her part, I reveal whats coming next.

I disappear into the kitchen again, leaving the table clean.

The last course

With two large spoons, I make quenelles - egg shapes - out of the chocolate mousse and arrange them on a pretty plate. I spoon my sauce in a fanciful design and arrange my fanned strawberry on top. I pour the last of the Champagne and bring the two flutes out. I go back for the mousse and when I leave, I turn out the kitchen lights for the last time.

The candle is burning to the nub. I set down the mousse.

Its delicious. But we dont even get half way through.

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