By Amanda and Ben Page

These days, it seems as if every restaurant puts together a special Valentine’s Day menu, replete with red-hued items and cute names. We usually wouldn’t shun a tasting menu opportunity, but most Valentine’s Day menus come off as mediocre and repetitive. And besides, the “romance” loses its appeal when you’re surrounded by 75 other diners who are all indulging in the same thing you are.

Whether you love or loathe the holiday, you shouldn’t deny yourself a delectable meal. So, this year, we’ve written Valentine’s Day-inspired recipes to make at home for you and your special someone and for another couple you might invite over (though our recipes are easily divisible for an intimate dinner for two). We didn’t want to stray too far from the spirit of the holiday, and that’s why we created a meal based on some of our favorite food aphrodisiacs. We started with raw oysters on the half shell with a balsamic vinegar-marinated strawberry topping. We paired this starter with glasses of NV Besserat de Bellefon Brut Rosé Champagne, which sports soft bubbles and strawberry undertones. For the main event, we did a roasted beef eye round encrusted with ground chilies and coffee, which we served with a roasted garlic celeriac purée and peach brûleé. With this course, we poured a 1998 Cascina Adelaide Barolo.

Shopping List
8 dried ancho chilies
¼ cup of whole coffee beans
1 tsp. whole cloves
2 heads of garlic
2 lbs. beef eye round (Depending on your preference, you may upgrade this cut to a New York strip or a filet, though the cooking time will vary.)
2 medium heads of celeriac
2 peaches
1 pt. of strawberries
balsamic vinegar
16 oysters
granulated sugar
butter
olive oil