Love can be dished up in many ways.

Indeed, it is said that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. And men would do best to ply a girl with her best friend. (For those of you slow out of the gate, that would be diamonds.)

Considering we’re the Swirl Girls, and not the Swirl Guys, it’s highly unlikely that we could not be romanced by dazzling precious metals or stones. Yet, our first name is Swirl, so we’re also big pushovers for an exquisite wine. Add a lovingly and meticulously prepared meal woven with aphrodisiacal food, and you’ve got a recipe for a Valentine’s evening that just might bring Barry White to his knees.

SWIRL GIRLS’ MENU FOR LOVE

Course 1: Oysters

Certainly the most obvious choice for a romantic menu starts with a plate of raw oysters. Everything from their appearance to the mix of sweet, salty and buttery flavors can stimulate the senses. Plus, oysters are loaded with zinc and certain amino acids key in testosterone production and increased levels of sex hormones. Though best eaten raw with a hint of lemon juice or Tabasco, you could also serve them smoked, baked, or breaded and fried.

Wine pairing: Begin your romantic evening with a couple glasses of bubbly. There’s a bottle to suit any budget, from the classic vintage Champagne to value-driven sparklers from Alsace, Limoux or California. — “Dry” Gwen

Course 2: Roast duck breasts with pomegranate-chile sauce

Nothing says romance like a bit of spice. Chiles of all sorts are considered to be aphrodisiacs in many cultures, and the physiological responses they create in our bodies (increased heart rate and circulation, sweating, a tingling sensation and the release of endorphins) are similar to sexual desire. Pomegranates are also counted among natural aphrodisiacs and believed to improve blood flow and increase sensitivity.

So this delicious sweet and spicy duck is a sure recipe for romance. Both the dried chiles and the adobo sauce pack some heat. Those who prefer a milder taste should use both ingredients sparingly and remove the dried chiles before blending the sauce.

Wine pairing: Red wine of all kinds are also believed to be natural aphrodisiacs, as long as they are used in moderation. But the ever-so-smooth and silky pinot noir has a certain reputation for romance, and it’s also the perfect match for lighter meats like duck. You’ll need a good amount of ripe, juicy fruit to tame this recipe’s chile spices, so choose a California pinot with a big fruit profile from Russian River Valley or Sonoma Coast. Some of my favorite Cali pinots are made by EnRoute, La Follette, Belle Glos, Flowers and Sonoma Coast Vineyards. — “Dry” Gwen

Course 3: Chocolate Soufflés with Crème Anglaise

Chocolate has long had a reputation of being an aphrodisiac. Chocolate contains phenylethylamine (PEA), which stimulates the same hormone your body releases during sex. However, the sensation of it melting in your mouth is, on its own, a stimulating pleasure.

The chocolate soufflé, elegant and sublime, remains airy on your tongue despite the rich decadence of dark, bittersweet chocolate. With the crunch of a wafer topping and the vanilla cream sauce (I also added a teaspoon of caramel to the center of one of the soufflés for a pairing experiment with the wine), you’ll have a warm, sinful dessert sure to make your blood run hot.

Wine pairing: An equally sensual way to end the evening meal would be to sip on a glass of Port. A short pour of Graham’s 10-Year-Old Tawny Port is the perfect accompaniment with its flavors of dried fruits, caramel-coated nuts and vanilla on a smooth, warming palate. Like you’ll want to do with your Valentine, this is a glass to linger over long into the night. — “Earthy” Jennifer

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ROAST DUCK BREASTS WITH POMEGRANATE-CHILE SAUCE

Original recipe adapted from Selma Brown Morrow, printed in Bon Appétit Magazine, December 2009; reprinted from Epicurious.com.

Makes 2 servings

Sauce:

2 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons water

2/3 cup refrigerated pomegranate juice (such as Pom)

2/3 cup low-salt chicken broth

1 large dried California chiles, stemmed, seeded, torn into 1-inch pieces (see note)

1/2 teaspoon adobo sauce from canned chipotle chiles in adobo (see note)

1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Pinch ground cumin (not toasted)

Coarse kosher salt

Duck:

2 6-ounce boneless duck breast halves, skin and fat trimmed to size of breast

Coarse kosher salt

Ground coriander

Fresh pomegranate seeds

For sauce:

Stir sugar and water in heavy large saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil until syrup is deep amber color, swirling pan occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add juice, broth, and torn California chile. Boil until sauce is reduced to 2/3 cups, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat; cool. Taste the liquid. Depending on your taste, strain the liquid and discard the dried chiles, or leave them in for a spicier sauce. Puree the liquid in a tightly covered blender until smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer to bowl. Whisk in adobo sauce (to taste), vinegar, and cumin. Season to taste with generous amount of coarse salt and pepper.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm over low heat before using.

For duck:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Score skin of duck (don’t cut into flesh) with 5 cuts in 1 direction; repeat in opposite direction, making diamond pattern. Sprinkle duck all over with coarse salt, pepper, and ground coriander. Place 2 large ovenproof skillets over medium-high heat. Add duck, skin side down, to skillets, dividing equally. Cook duck until skin is crisp and deep brown, about 7 minutes. Turn duck over; cook 1 minute. Pour off fat. Transfer skillets to oven. Roast duck until cooked to medium-rare, about 5 minutes.

Transfer duck to cutting board. Let rest 5 minutes. Thinly slice each breast crosswise on slight diagonal. Arrange slices on plates. Spoon sauce over. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds.

NOTE: The chiles and adobo sauce are available at some supermarkets and Latin markets. Adjust proportions to suit your taste for spice. Both ingredients are particularly spicy and could be used in much smaller portions.

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CHOCOLATE SOUFFLÉS WITH CRÈME ANGLAISE

Recipe from Food & Wine Annual Cookbook, 2009.

Makes 8 servings

3 ounces chocolate wafer cookies, finely crushed

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for brushing

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

4 large egg yolks

6 large egg whites

Pinch of salt

Vanilla Bean Crème Anglaise

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine the crushed chocolate cookies with 2 tablespoons sugar. Brush eight 4-ounce ramekins with softened butter and coat them with the cookie/sugar mix, pouring out and reserving excess. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and refrigerate.

2) In a double boiler over medium heat, melt the 3 tablespoons of butter with the chopped chocolates, stirring frequently, until mixture is smooth. Remove the top of double boiler from heat and let chocolate mix cool.

3) In a large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the egg yolks with 6 tablespoons of the sugar at medium speed until pale yellow and thickened, about 4 minutes. Gradually beat in the cooled chocolate mixture.

4) In another large bowl, using clean beaters, beat the egg whites with the pinch of salt until the whites form soft peaks. Gradually beat in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar until the beaten whites are glossy. Beat ¼ of the egg whites into the chocolate mix, then gently fold in the remaining whites with a rubber spatula just until no streaks remain. Carefully spoon the soufflé batter into the prepared ramekins, filling them almost to the top. Sprinkle each soufflé with ½ teaspoon of the remaining cookie and sugar mix. Run your thumb inside the rim of each ramekin to smooth the sides of the soufflés and help them rise evenly.

5) Bake the soufflés in the center of the oven for 15 minutes, or until they are risen and set around the edges but still soft in the centers. Carefully transfer the hot ramekins to heatproof dessert plates and serve the soufflés rights away, with the Vanilla Bean Crème Anglaise.

VANILLA BEAN CRÈME ANGLAISE

Makes about 2 cups

2 cups half and half

½ cup sugar

1 vanilla bean, preferably Tahitian, split and seeds scraped

4 large egg yolks

1) In a medium saucepan, combine the half-and-half, sugar and scraped vanilla bean and seeds and bring to a simmers over moderate heat, whisking until the sugar is completely dissolve.

2) Set a medium bowl inside a larger bowl of ice water. In another medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth. Whisking the yolks constantly, gradually pour in the hot half-an-half mix until smoothly combined. Discard the split vanilla bean. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, about 6 minutes (avoid overheating this mixture to ensure the eggs don’t curdle.) Scrape the crème anglaise into the medium bowl in the ice bath. Stir until the crème is completely cooled, about 10 minutes.