5 Dishes to Make Him Love You

What food is a better opportunity to indulge that primitive hunger than a slab of spareribs? For maximum enjoyment, slather the ribs with sauce, hide the forks and knives, and smile with delight as he gnaws the meat straight from the bone. You'll get extra credit if it's smoked over an open flame.

If ribs are a bit unwieldy for the circumstances, Buffalo wings and loaded tacos make satisfying, portable portions.

Next up: a seafood dish that put fish sticks to shame.

Lobster is the epitome of seafood extravagance. We suggest using lobster tail, as it's considered the choicest part. Also, dispatching a live crustacean can be traumatic if you're not used to food that has a face. A purist might prefer his baked, steamed or broiled with melted butter and lemon juice. For a guy who eats as if every meal could be his last, Lobster Newburg doubles the decadence with an egg yolk-cream sauce.

If you want to balance this self-indulgence with social responsibility, choose domestic lobster, especially spiny lobster from California, Florida and Mexico's Baja Peninsula. They're the most likely to have been harvested sustainably.

Lobster too upscale for your guy? Take him to the bayou (or go online) for alligator meat. Prepare with his favorite chicken or pork applications -- barbecued gator, perhaps, or gator Parmesan.

Next, a dessert that's not as easy as pie.

This decadent dessert promises fat, more fat and a caffeine buzz. It's also a true labor of love. First, you make zabaglione, an egg-and-sugar fluff that's a dessert in its own right, and then blend it with mascarpone -- cooked heavy cream, a kind of ultra-rich Italian cream cheese. Some recipes have you fold the mixture into whipped cream. This concoction is layered with ladyfingers that have been soaked in sweetened espresso. Serve it in a glass dish so he can see how much you fussed even before he tastes it.

You say your guy doesn't do fussy? Collect an assortment of ice cream flavors and toppings, and hand him a scooper for a build-your-own super sundae. The DIYer in your life will love it.

Our next recipe is for guys who can handle the heat.

Hot and spicy foods are a badge of courage for guys. Start a conflagration in a Crockpot with garlic and onion, cumin, and oregano. Fuel the flames with fresh and ground chilies: cayenne and paprika, poblano, and jalapeño. Serve with crackers or cornbread, just in case, as a face-saving way to cool the heat. (Milk might be better, but it's decidedly out of place here.)

If your guy finds plain tongue burning too boorish, try the nuanced heat of ethnic cooking, from a Cajun gumbo, chock-full of smoked andouille sausage, to an Indian chicken tikka masala, bathed in a spiced yogurt marinade and simmered in a tomato cream sauce.

Our last recipe, fittingly, brings it all back home.

Meat and potatoes. It's classic comfort food -- hearty, simple fare that appeals to the essential American male. At the same time, it caters to the little boy inside. Serve with gravy and ketchup, and don't flinch if he drowns his mashed potato with both.

If his parents don't have a recipe, use your own mom's. Or your neighbor's. The more dog-eared and grease-stained, the better. Failing that, take him to the locally owned, non-franchise diner.

For guys who grew up with a silver fork in their mouth, try veal terrine with duchesse potatoes and gourmet ketchup.

If you want more tips on Valentine's Day, see the links on the next page.