STAYING AT HOME this Valentine’s Day?

Stuck for ideas on what to cook?

Food writer Susan Jane White dropped by TheJournal.ie’s offices this week to give us a few hints and tips on how to spice things up in the kitchen…

She brought along two ruby red ingredients sure to get your blood “beating like a bodhrán”.

So… Ever heard of goji berries or ‘girl’s best friend?’. Ever dreamt of using a red chilli in a dessert?

Watch:

If you’ve got some time to spare this afternoon — you could always try whipping up this intriguing-sounding recipe from Susan Jane too…

Her ‘Chilli Chocolate Mousse’ (to be found in this best-selling book, by the way) uses avocado as a base, rather than cream.

Why?

We’ll let the woman herself explain…

The Extra Virgin Kitchen The Extra Virgin Kitchen

The addition of chilli powder will give your lips a delicious sting and swell the senses. Chillies can also heighten body temperature and help release natural endorphins to keep your blood gurgling with excitement.

But wait! There’s more! Folate in avocados is thought to boost histamine production, apparently necessary for optimal orgasms. Whether this is true or not, its sumptuous flesh is enough to dizzy the senses. In fact, Catholics weren’t allowed to eat avocados when the Spanish conquistadors brought them back to Europe in the 16th century. They evoked pleasures of the flesh at a time when contraception was not available. And the Aztec people of South America – the same cunning chaps who invented hot chocolate – called the avocado plant the ahuacatl, which translates as testicle tree.

1 ripe avocado

3 tablespoons best-quality cocoa powder or raw cacao powder

2 tablespoons raw agave or maple syrup (not honey)

1 tablespoon almond or macadamia butter

2 teaspoons tamari

pinch of cayenne pepper

1 red chilli, finely sliced, to serve (optional)

Cream all your ingredients together with a hand-held blender. It’s best chilled for 30 minutes before wolfing, but excitement may override your sensibilities. No shame in that.

Serve in petite wine glasses and top with freshly sliced red chilli if you have it. This mousse is unreasonably tasty after a long day at work. You’ll quickly feel the chilli pelt through your veins and service those stubborn limbs.

Happy seducing…

Saturday Night Live / NBC Saturday Night Live / NBC / NBC

(By the way, we took back control of this post just before the pic… Susan Jane is far too classy to say things like ‘happy seducing’… You can check out more of her recipes here — and if you don’t feel like hauling yourself into the kitchen, she’s also created a dish for Camile Thai)

Read: What’s the most common problem Irish couples want to talk about with a sex therapist?

It’s official: Sex is good for you