Halibut

Portobellos make this simple dish shine. It's from Alfred Portale's 12 Seasons Cookbook written with Andrew Friedman (Broadway Books). Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 45 min

Shrimp or sea scallops would also work well in this recipe. Serve with: Grilled plum tomatoes, herbed orzo salad, and grilled French bread.

The two-step method of searing and then roasting this thick fillet is what keeps the fish succulent.

A nod to what could arguably be the dish of the eighties, blackened redfish. The technique works equally well with halibut.

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

Generally this dish is served in Andalusia as part of a mixed fish fry, but it's wonderful on its own. The marinade makes the fish flavorful and succulent.

The saffron adds not only a lovely aroma but vivid color as well. Open a bottle of Chardonnay to go with the meal.

The following recipe can also be made with 1-inch-thick salmon fillets. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. With the fish, offer thinly sliced cucumber‑tossed in a dressing of rice vinegar and vegetable oil‑and some purchased sesame noodle salad. For dessert, side-by-side scoops of mango and raspberry sorbets look pretty sprinkled with toasted coconut. (Wasabi powder can be found in the Asian foods section of the supermarket.)

The bouquet garni for this stew includes orange peel (use a vegetable peeler to make wide strips) and some of the wispy fronds from the top of the fennel bulb that goes into the soup.

Alice Marcus Solovy of Skokie, Illinois, writes: "When I was 12 years old, my mother taught me how to make my first pie crust. My father said it tasted just like his grandmother's, and I was very flattered. That's basically the story of how I started cooking. After almost a lifetime in the kitchen, I still enjoy playing around with recipes. I've even been known to go out to dinner, taste a certain dish, and then re-create it at home in a few tries."

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.