Fish

I keep individually wrapped boneless tuna steaks in the freezer just for meals like this. Just pull out the frozen steak and put it directly into the pot. There’s no need to thaw and it won’t add any cooking time. You can make this meal with salmon or halibut, but also with pork, turkey, or almost any kind of steak. It would also be great with shrimp or scallops for another kind of seafood dish. To toast sesame seeds, simply scatter them on a sheet pan and place in the oven while it is preheating. Shake the pan once or twice after a few minutes and keep a close eye on the seeds, as they will burn quickly.

The avocados in this recipe offer a cool, smooth counterpart to the spiciness of the fish and the rice. Even though they have been cooked with the rest of the meal, they maintain their shape and flavor delightfully. If you have space in your Dutch oven, try adding a handful of snow peas and sliced shiitake mushrooms to round out this Asian-inspired meal. While using plain water will result in a wonderful meal, you can add more depth of flavor by substituting broth. The rice will completely absorb the liquid during cooking, and in the process the fish will take on a delicate, poached texture that is a treat to eat. If you live in a dry climate, you may want to add an extra 2 tablespoons of water.

Garam masala is the basic mix of Indian spices. You can purchase it at ethnic or health food stores. Use your favorite chile pepper in this dish. Jalapeños work fine, as do Anaheim or other green chiles, or even red pepper flakes if that’s what you have in your cupboard. For additional garnishing, use sprigs of fresh mint or cilantro. If your diet is dairy-free, try this recipe with plain soy yogurt.

My husband used to believe he hated pineapple because as a kid growing up in New England he ate only canned pineapple. It wasn’t until he was an adult and moved west that he discovered the glory of the Hawaiian fruit. Nowadays, fresh pineapple can often be found year-round at reasonable prices in mainstream grocery stores. Nothing compares with the taste of fresh pineapple. To peel a pineapple, chop off both ends and stand it upright. Cut the peel off with vertical strokes, then quarter the fruit from end to end. Remove the core from each quarter and discard. Lay the quarter flat and slice into wedges. You can find sushi rice in Asian markets.

One of my friends once owned a place that served delectable organic small plates in a funky part of town. I had a melt-in-your-mouth soy-miso monkfish that was just to die for. I’ve tried to re-create the experience here. Because monkfish can be hard to find, I use flounder to make this at home, but feel free to use sole, tilapia, salmon, or any fish. For that matter, this would be delicious with chicken or pork tenderloin as well. To make the dish spicier, double or triple the amount of black bean sauce. You can usually find black bean and garlic sauce in the Asian section of the grocery store.

There is a big difference between farm-raised and wild salmon in taste, price, and environmental impact. Some salmon farms feed their fish antibiotics and antiparasitic medications, and even dye the salmon pink. It is always worth investigating the production methods of the food you eat so that you can make informed decisions about what goes in your body and what industries to support with your food dollars. Italian roasted red peppers are sold by the jar and often packed in olive oil. Look for them in specialty delis and better grocery stores.

There’s something intrinsically fun about cooking with pistachios. Besides having an addictive flavor, nuts are a great source of protein and unsaturated fats. They are thought to help build and protect the nervous system, and may even help repair existing damage. As a commonsense precaution, try to avoid any red-dyed nuts. Be sure to clean leeks thoroughly by slicing them in half lengthwise and allowing the water to sluice between the layers. Don’t expect asparagus to remain crisp in an infused one-pot meal; instead, savor the buttery softness of melt-in-your mouth stalks.

If you don’t have any broth on hand, you can use plain cold water in a pinch, but using broth or bouillon makes for more flavorful couscous. Depending on your climate, oven temperature, and how thickly you sprayed the oil on the pot, the couscous may have some crunchy spots where it browned. To avoid this, spray the pot generously with oil and stir carefully to expose all the grains when adding the broth. Fluff the couscous with a fork when serving to separate the grains. If you don’t like halibut, try using salmon fillets or steaks instead. Or substitute two chicken breasts for the fish.

Kalamata olives and/or capers would be lovely additions to this meal. Add them with the cherry tomatoes. You can also use a whole red snapper if you find one that fits in your Dutch oven. I like to use canned or frozen artichoke hearts packed in water, though marinated artichoke hearts packed in herbed olive oil would add another layer of flavor to this meal. And any white wine is fine to use here. I often use a Chenin Blanc or a Sauvignon Blanc simply because those are what I like to drink.

I’ve been finding fresh mangoes at my local grocery store often lately, but if you don’t have one, use a can of puree or fresh orange juice. If you don’t have macadamia nut oil, it’s okay to use another nut oil or even olive oil, but realize you will lose some depth of flavor. Vary your meal by changing the lentils: Red lentils will result in a mushier texture, while green lentils will offer a more al dente eating experience. I like to use white or mellow-flavored miso paste, but the strength of miso flavor is really a personal preference.

This is a lovely light and flavorful recipe that’s perfect for summertime dining. I have fun using pattypan squash, but any yellow summer squash will fit the bill. And if it’s not asparagus season, consider substituting broccoli spears.

Eat in the light, clean, Mediterranean tradition for meals that are low in fat but high in flavor. Vary this recipe by using other vegetables such as eggplant, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and mushrooms or by replacing the fish with chicken, strip steak, or even seitan (a wheat product found near the tofu in the refrigerated section of the health food store). This recipe has an elegance that will impress your guests. I like to use an oval Dutch oven with fish fillets simply because they tend to fit better. However, to make a long fillet fit into a round pot, simply cut the fillet into two or three pieces and lay them side by side. You can easily skip the wine in this recipe and still have a great-tasting meal, but if you do use wine, try a Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc that you would happily drink rather than a “cooking wine.”

The first time I presented this recipe to my children, then four and two, my older son threw a fit, said it looked “disgusting,” and refused to eat it. I calmly reminded him of our rule for new (or forgotten!) foods: You must eat three bites of each item and then if you still don’t like anything on the plate you can have something else. Within minutes they both had polished off full plates and asked for seconds! Garlic is a favorite flavor for my kids, and when the whole garlic cloves come into contact with the spray of oil, they take on a mellow, sautéed taste. Try a less “fishy” fish for unenthusiastic fish eaters; consider sole, flounder, or tilapia.

When my husband and I were in Hong Kong on what would turn out to be our engagement trip, we became devotees of a local diner that served this ketchup-based sauce over almost anything. We Americans tend to recoil at the thought of serving the lowly condiment ketchup with anything besides hamburgers and French fries. In this recipe, ketchup is used as a subtle accent, so for the best and freshest flavor, choose a high-quality organic ketchup. This Glorious One-Pot Meal is fabulous with a fillet of salmon or tuna, but you can use chicken or beef instead. It’s hard to resist this mouthwatering sauce. Substitute any vegetables you wish; just try to provide a rainbow of green, red, and yellow vegetables to maximize nutritional value.

Almost all of the ingredients in this dish are native to North America, including the chili powder, making it a truly American dish with a hint of the Southwest. The amount of chili powder used is only enough to give the fish a little bite of heat. Add more or less according to your preference. Or use fresh, diced chiles instead. Try this recipe with salmon, halibut, or other kinds of fish. Or substitute chicken breasts, turkey, or pork tenderloin for the fish.

Not quite a soup, New England fish chowder is known for its succulent large chunks of seafood and vegetables coated in a thin, milky broth. Traditionally this is made with cod; however, tilapia, flounder, or any other white fish will work fine. You can even use fillets directly from the freezer without defrosting them first. The fish will break into pieces as it cooks, or you can break it up while serving. Add any type of fresh or frozen seafood, such as crab or shrimp, or eight ounces of corn kernels for an even heartier meal. The type of milk used will affect how thick the broth is. Choose skim, 2 percent, whole, soy, rice, almond, or even heavy cream to suit your preference. To quickly remove the stems of chard (and other leafy greens like kale), hold the sides of the leaves together in one hand and use the other to rip the stem from the bottom of the leaf. Chard stems can be bitter. By chopping the stems finely and placing them on the bottom of the pot, they will have the opportunity to brown slightly and lose most of their bitterness.

Legend has it that when Catherine de Medici of Florence was wed to Henry of Aragon, she brought a Florentine chef with her to prepare the foods she adored. The Florentine style of cooking leans toward simple preparations of fresh foods to make consistently appealing meals. Traditionally, this dish uses a flaky white fish such as sole, cod, or halibut, but it does wonders for a salmon fillet or even orange roughy. Pack as much spinach as possible into the pot as it will cook down significantly Don’t be afraid to push down the leaves with the heel of your hand. Just be sure that the seal around the lid is tight when the pot goes in the oven.

This is a great light summer meal! Adding a thin coating of olive oil on top of the fish will result in a less-dense fillet. For an even richer flavor, place several pats of butter on the fish.

Vary this meal and go Italian instead with sun-dried tomato and garlic in olive oil instead of the peanut oil mixture. Or use any other type of flavored oil in this recipe.

The term herbes de Provence refers to the mix of herbs commonly used in southern French cooking. These include basil, thyme, chives, oregano, sage, rosemary, lavender, and dill, and can be used in almost any combination. You can purchase a premixed jar of herbes de Provence and use that in place of the herbs designated in this recipe. Any white fish tastes great in this dish. Try this with cod, sole, roughy, or snapper.