And a few foods to cook up in the kitchen, too.
Andrew Mahoney
Executive chef, Nodding Head Brewery and Restaurant
49 years old, married
With a salt-and-pepper beard, faint Caribbean accent, and cocoa eyes that sparkle as brightly as the diamond stud in his ear, Andrew "Drew" Mahoney is a devoted family man with an R-rated past. Back before he became chef at Nodding Head, Mahoney did time as an exotic dancer in a New York City nightclub - where he nodded much more than his head.
These days, the rhythmic chef keeps his clothes on while playing dad to a college-age son and a daughter who does a bit of dancing herself - for the Pennsylvania Ballet. The Barbados-born former booty-shaker said his career onstage ended when "My wife stopped me."
Now a one-woman-guy, Mahoney first impressed his wife by making her a lobster franchese dinner with a salad fashioned with edible flowers.
His advice to at-home cooks who want to impress their Valentine: "Just be natural. Have your own flair. It's your own taste that makes the difference."
CRAB AND VEAL ROLLATINI
8 ounces crab meat
Fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
Two 4-ounce veal cutlets, lightly pounded
Flour (enough for dredging)
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces shallots, chopped
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
8 ounces beer
16 ounces veal or chicken stock
Season crab with salt and pepper, add lime juice and mayonnaise. Roll half mixture into each into each veal cutlet. Secure with toothpicks. Dust in flour, shaking off any excess. In an ovenproof pan at medium heat, saute rollatini in olive oil, turning for color. Remove rollatini from pan and set aside. Pour off most of oil. In remaining oil, saute shallots for 2-3 minutes, add mushrooms for 2 more minutes. Add beer to deglaze pan, then add stock and rollatini. Bake in preheated oven at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
Remove, add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with mashed potatoes and vegetables.
