A little pan-Asian passion

You don't have to believe in the power of aphrodisiacs to understand the benefits of cooking for your sweetheart on Valentine's Day.

"There's something special about seeing the one you love in the kitchen cooking a meal that's meant for you," says chef Michael Schulson. "It'll always hit home."

Schulson, chef/owner of two well-regarded restaurants (Izakaya at the Borgata and the newly opened Sampan in Center City), and first-season host of TLC's Ultimate Cake Off, which just started its second season, admits he has consistently flunked Valentine's Day 101.

"I've had many a failure in my love life on V-Day," says Schulson, a 2007 contender for sexiest chef in New York. "The women I was dating would get all excited about being with a chef on V-Day. They'd expect me to be home and cook them a romantic meal."

Those women clearly did not understand the realities of the restaurant business.

Police and fire stations, hospitals and newsrooms all require shift work; and when duty calls, romance suffers. But it seems none fare worse than the mates of restaurant workers. Dishwashers, servers, bartenders, even executive chefs know they'll pay later for having to work on Valentine's Day.

So it behooves those of you who are not expected at the office Sunday to plan a romantic dinner.

Of course, you could eat out. Dining out on this holiday is certainly an option, though it ranks up there with Mother's Day as one of the most difficult reservations to score, and one of the most crowded, challenging days for restaurants.

Still, for economy and ambience, nothing beats putting on your own chef's cap.

And because this year Valentine's Day coincides with the start of the Chinese New Year (it's the Year of the Tiger), we asked Schulson to suggest some appropriate pan-Asian dishes for kitchen Casanovas.

A Long Island native who moved to Philadelphia 13 years ago, Schulson, 36, learned Asian fusion cooking from Susanna Foo: "In my eyes, she is just incredible."

He later impressed at Stephen Starr's Pod and Buddakan (here and in Manhattan), and polished his craft by cooking in Japan at the Tokyo Four Seasons.

He gave us three recipes. Do the prep in advance to make for a relaxed evening.

His Charred Snow Peas With Pickled Mushrooms and Water Chestnuts (see recipe) uses white beach or enoki mushrooms, which are white and grow on long stems. (Use all but the bottom half inch of the stem, which should be removed and discarded.)

Udon Noodle Salad With Peanut Dressing and Citrus (see recipe) requires little cooking time. And Soy-Braised Short Rib will taste great if you prepare the meat and the mustard in advance and finish with noodles later.

Schulson says he made several attempts to eat with his wife, Jil, on Valentine's Day when they were dating and in the course of their 10-year marriage.

"When I was working at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York, I told Jil to come in late, after 10 p.m., so we could have dinner together after the rush.

"For a while it appeared that plan would work - until the president of the United States," Bush the first, "walked in unannounced. We ended up being there until about 1 in the morning. And my wife not only had to eat alone, but in a different restaurant at the hotel because the Secret Service made her leave."

He tried the late dinner-date plan again last year, when Izakaya had been up and running for about eight months.

"But we ended up doing about 900 covers that night, so she sat at the sushi bar alone."

This year?

Not likely. Five days after Valentine's Day, Jil is scheduled to give birth (by cesarean section) to the couple's second son.

As for the enticing powers of particular foods, Eric Braverman, a professor of neurological surgery and author of Younger (Thinner) You Diet, says there are no aphrodisiacs.

"But there is a diet-y component to feeling sexy and that includes aromas and tastes."

The link between food and sex is not just cultural, Braverman says; there's a definite component in the brain.

So if you are cooking, Schulson offers these overall suggestions:

Don't even try to surprise her. Surprises never work. Besides, tomorrow everyone at her office will be comparing plans for Valentine's Day, so give her the pleasure of kvelling in advance about the dinner you'll make.

Let her watch.

"That's part of the charm," Schulson says. Feed her a nibble as the cooking progresses, and share a drink.

Serve something light.

Don't ply her with so much liquor or heavy food that you both end up asleep on the couch. Find pleasure in savoring the impact of that first taste on your tongue.

Feel free to improvise with whatever menu you select. Substitute ingredients you have on hand or buy prepared dishes to round out the meal. If you do too much, you'll be exhausted and the kitchen cleanup will dominate the rest of the evening.

Impress her by knowing her animal sign (see chinesezodiac.com). But don't go to extremes. This is not the night to mention that the tiger clashes with the dog and the ox.

And just to be safe, send something (flowers, chocolate, a fruit bouquet) to her office tomorrow, too.

"You want to make other people say, 'Oh my God, I can't believe he did that!' That's the number-one thing you can do to be successful on Valentine's Day," Schulson says. "I guarantee it."

Makes 2 to 3 servings

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For the peanut dressing:

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil

2 tablespoons garlic, peeled and chopped finely

2 tablespoons ginger, peeled and chopped finely

3/4 cup peanut butter

4 tablespoons honey

3/4 cup soy sauce (Yamasa is preferred)

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon salt

1 Thai chili

1/2 cup water

6 ounces udon noodles, blanched, rinsed, chilled

1 tablespoon crystallized ginger, chopped

1/4 cup sugar snap peas, blanched and cut on the bias

1/4 cup bean sprouts, cleaned

1 teaspoon chili oil

For the garnish:

1 lime, peeled, cut in segments and chopped

2 tablespoons micro cilantro (regular cilantro may be substituted)

1/4 cup cashews, toasted and chopped

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1. To make the dressing, lightly caramelize garlic and ginger in the grapeseed oil. Blend the ginger/garlic with the peanut butter, honey, soy sauce, sherry vinegar, lime juice, olive oil, salt, and Thai chili until smooth. Slowly add the water until the consistency of wet sand is achieved.

2 Toss the udon noodles with the dressing. Season with salt, as desired. Add ginger, peas, bean sprouts, and chili oil.

3. Place the noodle mixture in a deep bowl and garnish with lime segments, cilantro, and chopped cashews.

Per serving (based on 3): 899 calories, 27 grams protein, 87 grams carbohydrates, 30 grams sugar, 53 grams fat, no cholesterol, 4,303 milligrams sodium, 6 grams dietary fiber.EndText

Makes 2 servings

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For the pickled mushrooms:

1/2 cup fresh beach or enoki mushrooms

1/2 cup Japanese vinegar

1 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons salt

1 clove garlic, whole

2 sprigs thyme

For the dish:

Oil as needed for saute

1 cup snow peas, cleaned and blanched

1 teaspoon ginger, peeled and finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon fresh red finger chili, thinly cut on the bias

1/2 cup of the pickled mushrooms

1/4 cup water chestnuts, peeled and diced

White soy sauce to taste

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1. To prepare the mushrooms, use all but the bottom half-inch of the mushrooms. Remove and discard that segment. Bring a pot of water to boiling, lightly salt, then blanch the mushrooms. Set aside.

2. Combine the rest of the ingredients and bring to a simmer. Continue cooking 2 more minutes, until the sugar and salt are dissolved.

3. In a stainless steel bowl, combine the mushrooms and liquid mixture and cover. Mushrooms will pickle as they are refrigerated at least 24 hours.

4. To assemble the dish, put a bit of oil in a pan and bring to a smoking hot temperature over medium heat. Add the snow peas and char. Add ginger and chili to the pan and cook for one minute. Add the pickled mushrooms and the water chestnuts. Season with white soy sauce, then remove from the heat.

5. Drain on a towel to remove the water and transfer the mixture to a serving plate.

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Makes 2 servings

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4 pounds short ribs, seasoned with salt to taste

1/4 cup canola oil

2 leeks, chopped

1 Spanish onion, peeled and hopped

1 stalk celery, stem removed and chopped

2 tablespoons white miso

1 cup soy sauce, light

1 cup mirin

1/2 cup sake

5 sprigs thyme

1 bay leaf

Water or chicken stock, just enough to cover the meat in a pot

For the mustard

1/4 cup Chinese mustard powder

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

For the lo mein:

4 pieces bok choy, cut in half (celery may be substituted)

2 scallions, cut on the bias

1 finger chili, cut in thin slices

6 ounces lo mein noodles, blanched, then tossed lightly with canola or other oil

1/4 cup liquid from the braising pot

1 green apple, diced

Sprinkle of micro or regular cilantro

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1. To prepare the meat, using a Dutch oven or other heavy pot, heat 1/4 cup of oil, then sear the short rib in the pot until golden brown on both sides. Remove the meat and set aside.

2. Caramelize the leeks, onion, and celery in the pot. Add miso, soy sauce, mirin, sake, thyme, bay leaf, and the meat. Cover with water or stock and cook on medium-low for two to three hours, until a fork can penetrate the meat easily, or the meat is falling off the bones. Remove the short ribs and set aside.

4. Meanwhile, prepare the mustard: In a bowl, mix the mustard, sugar, water, and vinegar and set aside to put atop the short ribs.

5. To prepare the lo mein, put just a bit of canola or other oil in a pan and saute the bok choy, scallions, and chili slices. Add the blanched lo mein noodles and the braising liquid, and cook for about 2 minutes, until hot.

6. Serve the noodles in a bowl and top with the short rib. Top the ribs with the mustard mixture and garnish the plate with diced apples and the cilantro.

Per serving (with water): 825 calories, 50 grams protein, 71 grams carbohydrates, 23 grams sugar, 35 grams fat, 109 milligrams cholesterol, 568 milligrams sodium, 4 grams dietary fiber.EndText