Weeknight Meals

Spicy arugula, slightly bitter endive, and sweet fennel come together in a salad with the briny help of coarsely chopped olives in the lemony dressing.

Add color to any meal at any time of year with this mix of red, purple, and orange vegetables, all roasted together.

Couscous Israélien au Citron et aux Pistaches Every year in Menton, a city near Nice that's on the border of Italy, there's a festival celebrating the famed Menton lemons. Plump and irregularly shaped, they're seasonally available in Paris markets, with their leaves still attached. They are prized by chefs and cooks for their intense lemony flavor (without the harshness of commercial lemons), and their not-too-bitter pith, which makes them perfect for preserving. This nutty, lemony salad makes good use of preserved lemons, which you can easily buy or make yourself (see my website for a recipe). I keep a jar on hand at all times. They take a few weeks to mellow and soften, so don't save making them for the last minute. Their flavor is incomparable, and a jar will last for months in your refrigerator. Chopped-up bits can be tossed with olives for a quick apéro, and they also add an assertive citrus flavor to this dish made with pistachios and Israeli couscous. Israeli couscous are little pearls of pasta, elsewhere called pastina, which means "little pasta," and when toasted it's known as fregola sarda. Since they have more substance, I think they hold up a little better to North African-style braised meats, like the lamb shank tagine, than traditional couscous. (Orzo is a good substitute for the Israeli couscous.) To change things around a bit, you can vary the dried fruit or swap in fresh mint or cilantro for the parsley. Another nut, such as toasted hazelnuts or almonds or even pine nuts, could be used in place of the pistachios.

This spicy, crunchy, and refreshing noodle salad will make any weeknight better, and is a great way to use up leftover roast chicken.

Almonds are the new breadcrumbs. Their toasty flavor and crunch add just the right contrast to pasta.

Look for pea shoots at the farmers' market or at Asian markets (though any tender green will work in a pinch).

In this Filipino dish, achiote oil bathes the shrimp in an amber hue, and citrus lends a bright, tart note.

Elegant and easy, this flavorful fish stew comes together in less than 30 minutes.

We're hooked on the juicy and crunchy textures and sweet and spicy flavors in this steak and salad pairing.

Kosher Status: Poultry Cooking doesn't have to be difficult or complicated, and it doesn't need to use lots of ingredients to be perfect. The better cook you are, the quicker you learn that. Here's one recipe that proves it.

This soup is what Mayim makes when she thinks she has nothing left in the house. It's an "everything but the kitchen sink" soup and can be as simple or complicated as you like. The main point is once you start with sautéed onion and garlic, it's hard to go wrong.

Coconut milk is one of my favourite ingredients and it makes a fantastic creamy base for all the other robust flavours in this Asian-style soup. Choose firm sweet potatoes with orange flesh for their vibrant colour.

Flay often uses terracotta dishes called cazuelas for this recipe.

Mary Fitzgerald, Wexford: Gardener and internet enthusiast Three generations of my family have eaten this dish: we used to make it to use up my father's seasonal harvest of spinach. I now grow spinach in my own garden, along with everything from sorrel and runner-beans to beetroot and rhubarb, and make this pie regularly.

Serve up a Tex-Mex favorite tonight! With this easy-to-make recipe, lean chicken breasts are enlivened with the flavors of Southwest corn seasoned with poblano and red peppers.

Here's a healthy, hearty chicken dish you'll serve again and again. Our roasted garlic and herb flavors deliciously combine with chicken breasts, spices, and veggies.

Now you can easily make one of your favorite rice dishes from the Indian restaurant. And all it takes is 15 minutes!

The south-of-the-border flavor bursts out of this dish and onto your family's Favorite Dinner list. Let the fiesta begin!

Who doesn't love a flavorful and filling pot pie? Your family will be lining up for seconds when you serve this all-time favorite.