Four Red-Hot Recipes From An Aphrodisiac Cookbook

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Drain the oysters, reserving the juice. Set a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the butter and sauté the shallot for 2 to 3 minutes to soften. Add the wine and reserved oyster liquor. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by half. Strain into a saucepan, discarding any solids.
Stir in the cream to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced again by half. (For a thicker sauce, dissolve 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in 2 tablespoons cold water to make a slurry. Add bit by bit to the sauce until slightly thickened.) Add the curry and salt to the sauce.
Arrange the oysters (in their shells) in a roasting pan. Season each oyster with pepper and top with a tablespoon of sauce. Bake for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the oysters are just cooked and the cream is beginning to brown.

Chocolate-Almond Truffles
Sweet chocolate dessert candies.

1/2 cup whole almonds or hazelnuts, toasted
4 ounces high-quality bittersweet chocolate
1 tablespoon almond pie filling
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon strong hot coffee
1 tablespoon hazelnut liquer

Chop the almonds in a food processor until coarsely ground. Remove half of the almonds and set aside for coating the truffles. Add the chocolate to the food processor and process until finely ground. Add the almond pie filling and almond extract; process until the mixture begins to come together. With the motor running, add the coffee and the liquer. Process until the mixture thins slightly and becomes smoother. Refrigerate 1 hour to harden slightly.

To roll the truffles, chill your hands by rubbing them with an ice cube or dunking in ice water periodically, and then patting dry. Roll the chocolate mixture into 3/4-inch balls, and then roll in the ground almonds. Place on a waxed-paper-lined tray or plate and refrigerate until ready to serve.