Weeknight Meals

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A bit of water whisked into the eggs tenderizes them. You may fill this omelette with anything you like, of course. It makes two very generous servings. For the mushroom and goat cheese variation, sauté 1 pound of thickly sliced mushrooms in 2 tablespoons unsalted butter until they are golden and most of their liquid has evaporated. Use about 4 ounces fresh goat cheese, and 1/2 cup of chervil sprigs (you may substitute flat-leaf parsley), which you mince at the very last minute, to take advantage of their flavorful oils.

Also try the flavored mayonnaise on roast beef or ham sandwiches.

Delicious with roasted meats or chicken.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

With such hearty vegetables, this can easily be served as a meatless main course.

A favorite of Nancy's son.

Though Rose Pascale always uses fresh octopus (sold as pulpo in many Latino markets), we found that it's generally sold frozen. You may need to special-order or reserve octopus from your local fish market several days ahead.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A classic Italian topping, gremolata is usually sprinkled over osso buco.

Chinese chestnuts are quite common in the cuisine of northern China; they also appear in the food of Shanghai. These sweet meats, which are smaller than their European cousins, are used in many braised dishes and casseroles. Active time: 35 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The delicate flavors of the fish pair perfectly with the zesty dressing of the potato salad from Un Grande Café, in Chicago, Illinois.

Posto, cardamom pods, and whole dried red chiles are available at Penzeys (800-741-7787; penzeys.com) and Kalustyan's (800-352-3451; kalustyans.com).