Weeknight Meals

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 40 min

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 1 hr

"I am 76 and consider myself a very good cook," writes Dorothy Harley of Norco, California. "I've always looked forward to receiving your magazine. Some recipes I try, love, and make over and over. One recipe I remember most is a shrimp and avocado salad. For our 25th anniversary, I cleaned and cooked 25 pounds of shrimp myself for the dish — it was a hit. And for my daughter's wedding, 21 years ago, I made it again. I'm sure that if you reprinted the recipe, you'd receive praise." Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 25 hr (includes marinating)

I was first tempted to serve these with a dollop of crème fraîche, or vanilla ice cream, but I resisted because I didn't want to dilute their flavor, and I was right to do so, for the balance of flavors is perfect. Muscovado sugar is a very dark, usually organic, unrefined sugar from Madagascar. If you can't find it, simply use dark brown sugar.

There's no one way to serve latkes. Some people like them as a first course or as an hors d'oeuvre, while others make them as a side dish. We think this Hanukkah specialty is so delicious, we'd gladly serve latkes as a main course. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 35 min

This tart is so deliciously rich, it can stand alone as a luncheon main course. A crisp green salad and a glass of nicely chilled white wine would complete a most satisfactory meal.

This recipe is a wonderful way to prepare tofu as a main course; all it needs is a side of rice.

Browned butter is butter cooked to a browner, nutty-tasting stage. It adds lots of flavor to the steamed squash.

Cilantro and lime lend a bit of Mexican flair to this sandwich.

These vegetables would complement not only lamb chops but roast chicken as well.

The halibut is delicious with sautéed green beans and steamed new potatoes. End with espresso granita or ice cream with grappa.

Fennel seeds, balsamic vinegar, roasted peppers, and caramelized onions really rev up this easy side dish.

Joe's Special This meal was supposedly concocted as late-night fuel for 1920s musicians, at a spot called New Joe's, on Columbus St.

Serve steamed rice mixed with fresh cilantro alongside this spicy Chinese-inspired dish.