Weeknight Meals

One of my favorite meals was made by finding some leftover meat or fish and some cooked rice, and tossing them in a skillet with whatever caught our fancy. When you're good and hungry, a mixed-up quick meal tastes every bit as good as any long pot [long-cooked dish]. And you don't have to wait.

The cilantro lime topping in this recipe is a Southeast Asian variation on the classic Italian gremolata, which is made with parsley, lemon zest, and garlic. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 20 min

Kathleen Sooy of Richmond, Virginia, writes: "On a visit to Pascal's restaurant, in Newport Beach, California, I enjoyed a wonderful grilled sea bass. What really caught my attention, though, were the luscious, creamy potatoes served on the side. The maître d' kindly shared the very simple ingredients with me, and I worked out the rest by trial and error back home. I have served this dish many times since then, always to rave reviews. " Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Broccoli rabe, which is also called rapini, is a slightly bitter green with tiny, broccoli-like florets. It's available in specialty markets and most supermarkets.

Indigo's chef and owner is Glenn Chu, who was born in Hawaii and learned to cook from his Chinese grandmother — and by watching Julia Child on television. The result: Eurasian cuisine, which Chu showcases in selections as eclectic as goat cheese wontons with four-fruit sauce, and grilled shrimp with Thai macadamia-nut pesto. The romantic dining room has a tropical-island motif, with ceiling fans, bamboo, and bird-of-paradise.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Using shrimp instead of chicken in this recipe makes for an equally delicious soup.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Cavolo nero is a member of the kale family and is available year-round in the United States. The reason you might have trouble finding it at farm stands, specialty produce markets, or natural foods stores is because of its many aliases: Tuscan kale, black cabbage, lacinata, lacinato, dinosaur kale, flat black cabbage, thousand-headed cabbage. Its rich, sweet, almost meaty flavor will have you hooked with the first bite. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

This easy side dish would be great with the pork chops, the stuffed mushrooms, or the sirloin tip steaks. .

We loved L.A. chef Mary Sue Milliken's crisp baked-tortilla crackers in her pool-party menu (August 2000). Here, we invent our own version of them.

Pour a nice Gamay to enjoy alongside.

Serve this entrée with crusty bread to help catch all the juices, and pour a light Italian white wine, such as Pinot Grigio. For dessert, spoon minted fresh berries atop vanilla frozen yogurt.

This dish uses three vegetable-bin staples: onions, celery, and carrots. If you don't have any canned broth on hand, dissolve a bouillon cube in water.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.