Weeknight Meals

The sweetness of the Sherry used in this creamy pepper sauce (usually made with Cognac) makes it the perfect partner for pork chops.

Look to the frozen foods aisle for a quicker way to bring artichoke's spring flavor to buttery pasta.

Sautéing scallops and asparagus adds depth to their subtle flavors — and the dish only gets better with the addition of a silky beurre blanc–style sauce.

In this dish, inspired by Cuban cooking, hints of clove and cinnamon whisk a standby cowboy steak to the Caribbean.

The light and clean Asian combination of shrimp and mango is treated to a touch of heat from a bit of fresh chile.

Fish is a good choice for a quick meal, and preparing this sprightly dill sauce from the pan juices (rather than using a stock) will really save you time.

Thickened with peanuts like some Veracruz sauces, and made with the classic Mexican technique of blending and then frying the sauce ingredients, this mild chili makes for an earthy modern-day meal.

Chicken legs, with their moist, succulent dark meat, are ideal for many cooking methods. For a last-minute dish that's abundant with the flavors of spring, we roast them with thyme, garlic, and lemon.

This recipe, from nutritionist Karen Fisher at Deerfield Spa, provides ideal amounts of carbs, fat and protein. If you're going to be active, simply add 1/2 cup more pasta.

This dish, from Golden Door executive chef Dean Rucker, only feels indulgent.

If you wish, feel free to make these hors d'oeuvres on a regular charcoal or gas grill instead of a grill pan.

This pasta showcases spring produce.

Serve with white rice to soak up the sweet and spicy sauce.

A party-perfect entrée — ready in less than half an hour.

Editor's note: This recipe is adapted from chef Paul Flynn of The Tannery in Dungarvan, Ireland. Once widely eaten, game lost its popularity in Ireland in modern times, as palates became unaccustomed to its distinct flavors. But smart breeders of venison are now creating meat with a milder and more mainstream taste without losing any of the noble game's intrinsic qualities. Irish chefs are happy to pay their tribute. At The Tannery, the garlic used in this recipe is wild, gathered from nearby hedgerows. Irish butter, with its high fat content, will add a particularly rich flavor, but regular American butter can be substituted.

Editor's note: This recipe is adapted from chef Paul Flynn of The Tannery in Dungarvan, Ireland. Wild salmon, once so plentiful in Ireland that domestic servants could stipulate in their contracts that they should not have to eat it more than three times per week, has now become a luxury item on both sides of the Atlantic. However, when top-notch fish is available, this simple preparation is a great way to showcase it. The compound butter, with its use of raisins, harks back to the dried fruits popular in the Middle Ages, and the capers show the fondness of contemporary Irish cooks for Mediterranean flavors. Irish butter, with its high fat content, will add a particularly rich flavor, but regular American butter can be substituted.

Editor's note: The recipe below is from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman. For Bittman's tips on preparing a modern Passover meal, click here.