Weeknight Meals

(Provençal Anchovy Vegetable Spread) Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Wheat berries, minimally processed grains of whole wheat, are sometimes marketed as hard wheat.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A soup this hearty calls for wedges of crusty country bread alongside. For the salad, arrange sliced pickled beets on romaine leaves and sprinkle generously with fresh dill. Apple strudel is just right to finish up.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Top toast points with this for an appetizer, or serve it as an accompaniment to grilled lamb, fish or chicken.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A sophisticated main course that's perfect for weeknight entertaining. Accompany the lamb with herb-roasted potatoes and a mixed green salad.

Northern Greeks, particularly those from Salonika, eat a lot of clams and mussels, usually as mezedes. Here's an easy-to-make dish from Greece's "second city" Cappetino.

Smoky andouille sausage is the perfect counterpoint to the delicate scallops.

This sweet-and-spicy dish is delicious with tan-skinned sweet potatoes or the sweeter red-skinned ones (also known as yams).

"Although I live in Athens," writes Yolanda Paterakis, "my connection to the islands is very strong — my husband, Andreas, is from Crete, and we have a vacation home on the Greek island of Euboea in the Aegean Sea. No matter where we are, we love to entertain our two children, our three grandchildren, and scores of friends. For these get-togethers, I always prepare quick, simple dishes because my busy schedule demands it; I write children's and travel books, and I'm the general secretary of the National Society of Greek Writers. I've often thought that cooking is like writing a story — always best when you put your heart into it." Rich and fragrant, this main course goes well with boiled potatoes or rice.

Besugo a la Parrilla Besugo translates as "red sea bream," which is the type of fish the restaurant uses for this dish; the bream is grilled, then deboned and served whole. Red bream is difficult to find in this country, so we've substituted red snapper, and we've chosen to broil fillets to keep things simple.

At Aqua, the sea bass is presented with shrimp tortellini in lobster consommé.