You may have met someone who is proving to be strangely resistant to your many charms when it comes to action between the sheets. 

Now this is not rocket science; if you want to get your leg over think steak. Steak is easy to cook, and served with a simple green salad, and a baked potato it leaves you with lots of time to promote your case.

The warm intimate and cosy atmosphere you should create in your home within handy reach of your bedroom is likely to convince the most resistant romantic quarry to give you a whirl. You can’t go wrong when it comes to seduction if you craftily ply him or her with good food, carefully calibrated quantities of wine, and soft music

If you get turned down look on the bright side: you have cleaned up the dump, had a good meal, and a practice run for next time.

The day before seduction buys your steak of choice from your neighborhood butcher, not the supermarket. I prefer scotch fillet because it has a good tasty marbling of fat throughout the muscle. Think quality, not quantity, and make sure it is a good thick piece so that the juices stay in the steak after cooking. Once home unwrap you steaks, place them in a bowl with ½ cup red wine, and a crushed clove of garlic, and a splash of olive oil. Refrigerate.

On seduction day buy the freshest garden greens you can find. Try to source greens such as organic rocket. Don’t bother with anything wrapped in plastic it will be tasteless. If you lack the moral fibre to make your own vinaigrette buy some of that as well.  Buy flowers and something tiny in the sweet line to go with coffee. Again think quality not quantity.

Bring your steaks to room temperature. Take out of the marinade and pat dry

Using a mortar and pestle grind two tablespoons peppercorns two cloves garlic and

two teaspoons of coarsely ground sea salt until the pepper is crushed and the garlic is macerated into a paste. Rub the mixture into the steak and leave at room temperature while you attend to the rest of the meal.

In a heavy frying pan (I use a cast iron pan) over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sear the steaks, moving them with tongs a little so they don't stick to the bottom, for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Pick up the steaks with the tongs and place in the frying pan. Dry heat  cooking causes the exterior of the meat to brown and caramelise which gives the steaks a richly browned complex flavour. This is partly a result of the sugars inherent in the meat going through a series of complex reactions called the "Maillard reaction." The moisture on the surface of the meat also evaporates and the juices become concentrated, forming the appealing brown crust.

Add a glass of red wine at this stage and allow it to boil down into a jus. When the steak gives slightly to the touch move to the oven and keep warm. Remember that it will continue to cook after it has been removed from the pan. Think rare, slightly bloody. CaseLoad thought he liked his steak wimpily well done. My steak changed his mind.

Add another couple of glasses of wine to the pan and scrape up any of the charred bits and boil down to three or four tablespoons of liquid.

Add your potato to the steak on the plate, pour some of the jus onto the steak and potato, toss the salad and serve with immaculate tableware, linen napkins and soft music. Trust me – you can’t go wrong.

Any Feedback to CaseLoad’s  girlfriend at ardlui@ihug.co.nz