Weeknight Meals

This Lowcountry-style dinner—shrimp with saucy black-eyed peas and smoky bacon—is worthy of a glass of sweet tea.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Irish Traditional Cooking by Darina Allen. This recipe for quickly cooked cabbage has converted many an ardent cabbage hater!

Apricots and Spanish chorizo sausage can provide elegance at less than $2 per person!

Don't worry if the batter for this traditional German staple seems a bit thin—it should be more liquidy than a normal dough.

Common ingredients create a Moroccan meal.

In this simple chicken bake, the skin gets good and crispy, and the juices make the vegetables extra-succulent.

No southern holiday meal would be complete without sweet potatoes, and this simple twist on old-fashioned candied yams, with the addition of molasses and an orange's juice and zest, tastes bright and full of nuance.

An impressively elegant dinner for two that comes together in about half an hour. Serve with buttery Yukon Gold mashed potatoes.

Jamón Serrano, a salty cured Spanish ham, is the traditional pairing for Manchego cheese. The ham is sold at specialty foods stores and at Spanish and Latin markets, and the cheese can be found at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores.

A V-slicer or mandoline is the perfect tool for slicing the fennel.

Fresh fennel and fennel seeds infuse the couscous with a subtle anise flavor.

An extra-sharp raw-milk cheddar from England is the perfect counterpoint to the sweet sautéed leeks in this upscale twist on mac and cheese.

The classic Kentucky cocktail is the inspiration for this light and lovely dish—which has just a hint of bourbon.

Nutty Gruyère is de rigueur for a classic Swiss fondue. Hard apple cider, cider vinegar, and Calvados (apple brandy) give this great version added interest. Kielbasa, apples, and bread are served alongside for dipping— but potatoes are also good. Just steam some new potatoes or fingerlings until cooked but not falling apart, and cut them into wedges. Also, any sausage—not just kielbasa—will do. We like andouille or chicken and apple sausage, too.

A terrific side for roast pork loin or roast chicken. Smoky cheese and bacon are stirred into rich and creamy mashed potatoes. You can mash the potatoes with a regular masher or—even better—a ricer.

Rutabaga adds an appealing, slightly sweet flavor to the potatoes.

In this take on bruschetta, the toasts are spread with a fava puree and topped with a fresh salad.

Julia Child's world-famous coq au vin recipe calls for the dramatic lighting of cognac. Traditional ones simply call for chicken, the contents of your crisper, and drinkable wine.