Weeknight Meals

Turnip plants were brought to America by early French and English settlers.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This very typical Lao dish may also be made with fish, pork, beef, or, in Southeast Asian tradition, water buffalo meat. While laap is often made with raw meat or fish, our chicken-based rendition is stir-fried, as it was when Lao cooks served it to us. A powder made from toasted glutinous rice subtly flavors the dish.

Begin making the coleslaw two days ahead and the whitefish one day ahead. Pour a Chardonnay or Pinot Noir with dinner.

Crusty Italian bread and mixed greens with a red wine vinaigrette are good with the pasta. Afterward, put out big strawberries and bowls of mascarpone cheese (or sour cream) and brown sugar for dipping.

Colossal shrimp make a stunning presentation, but jumbo shrimp will also be pretty.

Look for black sesame seeds in the Asian foods section of a specialty market. If you can't find them, use white seeds instead.

Similar to the Latin posole, this stew would be terrific with yellow rice (there are several supermarket choices) and an avocado, grapefruit and red onion salad. Cinnamon-spiced brownies make a good dessert.

With boiled potatoes and grilled vegetables, you have an easy dinner. Lemon sole or red snapper could be substituted for grouper. The sauce—our take on a Spanish classic—can also be used as a dip for vegetables or to spread on grilled bread.

"I got the inspiration for this recipe from a dish we made in a cooking class I took recently," says Tracy McGillis of San Francisco, California. "I added a few twists and came up with my own tasty version."

For a quick and satisfying after-work supper, team this tasty chicken dish with some cooked noodles that have been tossed with olive oil and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

A classic Indian dish that is accented by lemon, yogurt, garlic and spices.