Root Vegetable

Tuna is most often cooked to medium-rare to prevent it from drying out. If you prefer, cook one or two minutes longer after turning, or until opaque throughout.

To keep the salmon pieces moist as they roast, they are gently pressed together in the pan. A rustic potato-and-artichoke hash is cooked alongside. Slice the potatoes on a mandoline or with a very sharp knife to make thin, uniform pieces.

Use the extra loin from the Pork Loin with Figs and Port Sauce (page 217) in the recipes below (you’ll have enough meat to make both).

Using store-bought flour tortillas in lieu of homemade pancakes makes it easy to replicate this Chinese take-out favorite in your own home. Hoisin sauce, sold in most grocers’ Asian-food section, replaces the traditional (and harder-to-find) plum sauce.

Nothing complements pork like the flavor of apples; here the fruit is sautéed with leeks and honey. This recipe calls for roasting an extra tenderloin; serve one with the apples, and reserve one for use in a recipe on the following page.

For the most tender slices, cut flank steak against the grain, at a slight angle. This recipe calls for cooking two steaks, so you should have about one pound left over to incorporate into the salad or fajitas on the following page.

Crisp scallions provide the vegetable base for this tasty stir-fry. If the scallions are particularly thick, cut the white parts in half lengthwise; they will cook through more quickly.

Roast beef sandwiches make good use of meat left over from Roast Beef with Peppers, Onions, and Potatoes (page 182). Here are two unexpected takes on the classic.

Lean, tender eye-of-round is an inexpensive option for roasting, and you can get another meal out of the leftovers. This recipe calls for a two-and-a-half-pound roast, half of which can be used in the recipes on the following page.

The key to achieving clear grill marks is to make sure the grates of the grill are properly cleaned, heated, and oiled before cooking the steaks; see page 367 for instructions. The steaks can marinate up to overnight in the refrigerator.

Broiling is a great year-round method for preparing steaks, since the high heat browns the meat quickly without overcooking the interior. For a Spanish variation, substitute an equal amount of smoked paprika for the regular variety used in the spice rub.

This recipe calls for roasting two chickens in the same pan: Serve one bird and half the potatoes as a meal for four, and save the rest for the recipes on the following page. If cooking only one chicken, simply reduce the ingredients by half.

Jerk seasoning is a fiery spice rub that originated on the Caribbean island of Jamaica. You can marinate the chicken overnight. Assemble the cucumber and watermelon salad while the chicken is grilling.

Extra vegetables and a lighter crust make this comfort-food classic a smarter choice than traditional versions. Using store-bought phyllo dough cuts down on prep time.

Roasted chicken breasts gain a big boost with surprising sides: caramelized parsnips and wilted Swiss chard. To save time, this recipe calls for roasting four additional chicken breast halves to use in one of the recipes on the following page.

Brimming with peas and carrots and topped with fresh-dill dumplings, this nourishing one-pot meal is just right for cold evenings. Keeping the heat at medium-low helps the chicken cook slowly, so it turns out ultra-tender.

Pieces of tilapia are added to this tomato-based chowder in the final minutes of simmering; the fish cooks quickly without breaking apart. Other flaky white fish, such as flounder, sole, or halibut, could be used instead. Serve the soup with soda crackers.