Weeknight Meals

"Au gratin" is a term that, in America, is usually associated with cheese. But the term may refer to any light but thorough topping of fine fresh or dry bread crumbs or even crushed cornflakes, cracker crumbs, or finely ground nuts on scalloped dishes or casseroles. These dishes, usually combinations of cooked shellfish, fish, meats, vegetables, or eggs, bound by a sauce and served in the dish in which they were cooked, are then browned in the oven or under the broiler to form a crisp golden crust. Set the casserole dish or baking dish on a piece of foil, shiny side down to deflect the heat, or just set it on a baking sheet.

L'Albatros brings a taste of France to Cleveland's University Circle neighborhood. Cassoulet, bouillabaisse—and even escargots—show up on the menu. But the restaurant also dabbles in other regions of the world. There are pizzas, a burger, and this delicious take on shrimp scampi, an American classic.

Want to grab a bottle of olive oil and lunch? Then stop by Caseus, a cheese shop/bistro combo. The place is named for drained, pressed milk curds—and the folks here do know their cheese. The shop carries more than 100 artisanal varieties, which show up on the bistro menu. In this recipe, goat cheese adds wonderful flavor and texture to spicy hush puppies.

Cotton Row is full of local flavor. The restaurant, which is located on the city's courthouse square, is housed in a three-story brick building dating back to 1821. And chef James Boyce's menu keeps the local flavor coming, with dishes like this risotto made with butter beans, a southern staple. Crispy fried okra makes a fitting (and tasty) garnish.

Cooking the fish in olive oil makes it amazingly moist.

Nduja, a spicy spreadable salami, is incredible with the pork.

Quick preserved lemon (it cooks for ten minutes) adds a fresh hit of flavor to this warm salad.

Preparing the pesto a day ahead makes this a quick supper.

Save a roast chicken plus the leftover carcass to use for the Chicken Soup with Root Vegetables.

Ponzu, a citrus-infused soy sauce, can be found in the Asian foods section of some supermarkets.

Linguiça, a garlicky Portuguese sausage, and andouille, a smoky Cajun sausage, are both available at most supermarkets.

MOROCCAN COOKS USUALLY MAKE this tasty salad with Swiss chard, but I have seen it also with beet leaves. Eaten all year round, it is prepared by Moroccans on Rosh Hashanah for their Sephardic Seder, when they say a series of blessings over squash, leeks, dates, pomegranates, black-eyed peas, apples, the head of a fish or a lamb, and Swiss chard and beet greens.

The rooftop of chef Rick Bayless's Chicago restaurant Frontera Grill is dedicated to growing tomatoes, hot peppers and herbs for fresh salsas. Multicolored heirloom tomatoes can be sweeter than other types, Bayless says, and they offer a hefty dose of infection-fighting vitamin C.

Hari Pulapaka, chef and owner of Cress Restaurant in DeLand, Florida, scored a spot at a local community garden to sprout his organic produce for vitamin-packed salads like this one. The homemade dressing he created stays fresh in the fridge for a week.

The lamb in this dish from Cress Restaurant lends immunity-building zinc. For extra fresh flavors, pluck the rosemary, thyme and mint from plants purchased at a garden center; they'll flourish in a sunny window, so you can use them over and over.

A colorful mix of orange and yellow tomatoes looks great with the seared steaks. The relish would also be terrific with fish or spooned atop crostini that have been spread with fresh goat cheese.