Sear

You can start preparing these one day ahead. What to drink: A svelte red Burgundy from the Côte de Nuits or a Pinot Noir from Oregon's Willamette Valley.

Mexican food is usually high in calories; this lean dish is authentic but light.

Buy steaks that are at least 1 1/4 inches thick; that way, they can be seared without getting overdone. The Mediterranean-flavored butter adds a great taste accent. Also offer mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli, and drink a Burgundy or Pinot Noir.

Here's a fast and flavorful way to serve this lean cut of beef.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Serving the sauce at room temperature helps bring out the taste of the caviar.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe was inspired by one from Odessa Piper, chef-owner of L'Etoile restaurant in Madison, Wisconsin.

The spice rub that we have used in this recipe works equally well with other steaks such as sirloin.

Serve with: Baked potatoes and sautéed zucchini. Dessert: Dulce de leche ice cream with toasted almonds.

Add french fries, glazed carrots, and a salad of romaine wedges with blue cheese dressing. End with cheesecake and raspberries.

This recipe offers a prime example of cooking à la minute because the entire dish can be prepared and executed very quickly. (It also uses few enough ingredients that you could purchase all of them in the express lane of your local supermarket on the way home from work.) After sautéeing the halibut, the fish is removed from the pan, which is then deglazed with white wine and fresh lemon juice. Butter is swirled in gradually to yield a rich, flavorful sauce — punctuated by scallions, capers, and diced tomato — that is simply poured over the fish; its pleasing citric acidity and buttery richness make it a perfect foil for the halibut.