Make This Valentine’s Day Festive, Elegant

You’re an individualist.

You don’t buy Valentine’s Day cards with preprinted messages; you want to express your own sentiments.

You don’t buy “romantic” music tapes. You set the tone.

And a ready-made floral bouquet is out of the question.

So, when it comes to celebrating this holiday of love, you’re looking beyond the Valentine’s Day dinner special for two. You want something that’s festive, elegant and a reflection of your taste.

This is it.

The entree is a Spanish-inspired dish of Shrimp in Saffron Sauce. The seasonings - garlic, paprika and dry sherry - create an alluring aroma. The delicate pink shrimp cook in minutes, which is always an advantage in a seductive meal. The soupy shrimp can be served over rice or with bread for dunking, whichever satisfies your mood.

For dessert, there’s Chocolate Rice Pudding, flavored with brandy. Choose the best-quality chocolate for this recipe. The dish should be intense and rich, not cloyingly sweet.

Shrimp in Saffron Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced

1 shallot, peeled and chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed

1/2 teaspoon hot paprika

1/2 pound large, raw, peeled shrimp

1 teaspoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons dry sherry

1/2 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1 cup cooked rice, or crusty bread

Heat oil in large skillet. Add bell pepper, shallot and garlic and saute over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Add broth, saffron and paprika and simmer until hot, 1 minute. Add shrimp and simmer until pink, about 5 minutes.

In a cup, stir together cornstarch and sherry. When smooth, pour into skillet and simmer, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with parsley.

To serve, spoon half of rice into each of 2 shallow bowls or deep plates. Top each with half the shrimp. Or spoon shrimp and sauce into bowls and pass bread. Serve immediately.

Yield: 2 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 281 calories, 8.9 grams fat (29 percent fat calories), 19 grams protein, 29 grams carbohydrate, 137 milligrams cholesterol, 798 milligrams sodium.

Chocolate Rice Pudding

1-1/2 cups milk

1/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 (3-ounce) bar good-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 cup cooked rice

4 teaspoons brandy

Whipped cream

In heavy-bottomed pan, combine milk and sugar. Simmer, stirring, until sugar is dissolved and milk is steaming, about 5 minutes.

Beat eggs in heat-proof bowl. Add 1/2 cup hot milk to eggs and stir well. Pour egg mixture back into pan and simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened to pancake batter consistency, about 10 minutes.

Stir in chocolate and cook over lowest heat until chocolate is melted, 5 minutes. Stir in rice. Remove from heat. Stir in brandy. Spoon into 2 bowls. Cool to lukewarm. Top each with dollop of whipped cream.

Yield: 2 generous servings.

Nutrition information per serving, using whole milk and 2 tablespoons whipped cream: 655 calories, 37.6 grams fat (52 percent fat calories), 19 grams protein, 69 grams carbohydrate, 248 milligrams cholesterol, 163 milligrams sodium.