Weeknight Meals

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Start with vegetable sticks and dip from the supermarket. Warm tortillas and a plate of sliced red onion, orange and avocado are nice sides. To end, sprinkle rum and brown sugar over fresh pineapple chunks. Look for the coconut milk in the Asian foods section of the grocery store.

This recipe can be made in 45 minutes or less.

This is a delicate onion soup, a nice change from the heartier types which are so well known.

Basil is one of the favorite ingredients of the Italian region of Liguria, and there is no place in the world where it is more fragrant or put to such delicious use. It's the basis of the classic Genoese sauce, pesto, in which it is partnered with garlic, olive oil, pine nuts, and Parmesan and Pecorino Romano cheeses. It shows up most typically floating atop minestrone, drizzled over potato gnocchi, or - as here - tossed with trenette (the local ribbon pasta), potatoes and green beans.

Serve atop mashed potatoes or, for a nice twist, on a piece of toasted garlic bread.

With some warm corn bread, this chili is a meal in itself. You wouldn't know there was chocolate in the recipe, but it adds a subtle depth of flavor to the dish.

A piquant relish that is also a great sauce for pasta. To serve two people, simply double the sauce and toss it with eight ounces of freshly cooked pasta.

In the late nineteenth century, salmon was so abundant in Scotland that servants refused to eat it more than three times a week — but then again, they didn't have the recipe for this delicious hash. Top each serving of the hash with one or two poached eggs. Make a watercress salad with a simple vinaigrette to have alongside, and offer a pitcher of mimosas or some juice to drink.

Called Dublin coddle, this traditional Irish dish is a quick main course.

Here's a party main dish that is easy to prepare and makes a lovely presentation.

I am particularly fond of this stir-fry because of the hot, peppery taste and penetrating aroma that comes from using so much ginger, and I find that people who have never had it before fall in love with it for the same reason. Of course, if you like a milder flavor, feel free to use less ginger; just be careful not to make it too mild, or the dish will be bland. In Cambodia, we believe that ginger has medicinal qualities and that it heats up the head and the whole system to make you feel better. With this in mind, you might want to try Ginger Catfish the next time you have a cold.