Weeknight Meals

This pressed sandwich—a specialty of Nice, France—is filled with many of the components of the classic Niçoise salad (tuna, olives, and hard-cooked eggs). Weighting the sandwich allows the bread to soak up their flavors as it compresses.

If you don’t have time to make the fig jam from scratch, look for a good-quality version at your grocery store. Asiago cheese has a mild, nutty flavor; parmesan cheese can be used in its place.

This sandwich shows how just one special addition—here, a delicious spread—can make a big difference. The spread could also be served with crackers or crostini (page 365) or as a dip for crudités (page 52).

Soaking the strata overnight in the refrigerator before baking will make it even creamier—and reduce prep time in the morning. To test for doneness, pierce center of strata with a sharp knife; it should feel firm and the knife should come out clean.

Although it makes a delightful breakfast, the frittata could also be served with a green salad for a lunch or light dinner. White button mushrooms can be substituted for the shiitakes; trim but do not remove the stems.

WITH POTATO, CORN, AVOCADO, AND TOMATO, this hearty egg dish is ideal for breakfast, brunch, a light lunch, or what my family calls a “breakfast dinner”—an easy breakfast dish that makes a satisfying dinner.

NEW YORK STEAK, also known as strip steak or shell steak, is a tender cut that comes alive on the grill. Mushrooms are the natural choice as a side dish, with balsamic vinegar adding a deep, sweet note to the earthy mushrooms.

BECAUSE FRUIT, VINEGAR, AND MEAT HAVE A NATURAL AFFINITY, this recipe pairs apricot preserves and Dijon mustard to turn an ordinary pork tenderloin into an impressive main course. Served with Three-Grain Risotto (page 65), it makes an easy yet elegant meal.

WHILE MOST PEOPLE KNOW TURKEY ONLY as sliced cold cuts or a whole roasted bird for Thanksgiving dinner, turkey tenderloins are a versatile, tender cut. The citrus-herb marinade is crucial to both the flavor and the texture of the dish because it helps tenderize the meat and boosts the flavor. Serve this dish with Sausage-Oyster Stuffing, Wild Mushroom Stuffing, or Apple-Pecan Stuffing with Dried Cherries (pages 167–71), and you can enjoy the flavors of Thanksgiving all year long.

SLOPPY JOES, THE OLD CHILDHOOD FAVORITE, get a makeover in this weeknight dish. With turkey instead of beef and the addition of corn, cilantro, and jalapeño, this is no ordinary joe. Spoon this flavorful mixture into hamburger buns or warm tortillas for a kid-friendly main course, or try it over rice or in a lettuce cup.

IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST, halibut season begins in March and lasts until late summer, but halibut cheeks are a delicacy with which few people are familiar. Halibut cheeks have a distinctive texture, almost like a scallop, and they’re more forgiving than the fillets or steaks in terms of cooking time. While other cuts are easily overcooked, halibut cheeks still taste delicious with a few extra minutes of cooking time. Although halibut cheeks can be found in most fish shops and in the frozen food sections of many grocery stores nationwide, if you can’t find them, substitute halibut fillets cut into 3-ounce pieces. Halibut cheeks vary greatly in size; the smaller ones have more flavor. Serve three small cheeks per person. Adjust accordingly if you’re using larger cheeks.

SMOKED, POACHED, GRILLED, OR SAUTÉED, salmon is what’s for dinner in the Northwest. Its rich flavor is even better when paired with a butter rub. If you prepare this dish in advance, bring the salmon to nearly room temperature before you cook it. Using a thicker piece of salmon will give you better cuts. Otherwise, if the butter rub is too cold, it will flake off the salmon. The sweet blueberry sauce provides an unexpected color and flavor contrast to the rub.

A BEAUTIFUL BOWL OF FRESHLY STEAMED MUSSELS is even better with marinara sauce, with the tomato playing off the tender, salty shellfish. Serve this dish as a starter, or ladle the mussels over spaghetti for a hearty pasta dish. Be sure to serve a loaf of warm, crusty bread alongside to soak up the juices.

WITH A MEATY TEXTURE AND MILD FLAVOR, swordfish pairs flawlessly with bold ingredients. The caper-onion sauce, with bracing white wine and lemon, brings big flavor to the fish. If you can’t find swordfish, substitute another meaty fish, such as mahi-mahi.

CIOPPINO, THE CLASSIC ITALIAN-AMERICAN FISH STEW for which San Francisco is famous, takes on a new life in the Northwest, with fennel and a hint of anchovy to boost the flavor. The mashed avocado is used as a thickener and adds a richness to the dish, but it’s optional. We use a variety of seafood, but feel free to use whatever is fresh in your fish market. We like to use true cod, also known as Pacific cod, because of its flaky texture and mild flavor. (Pacific cod is preferable to Atlantic cod, an overfished species.) True cod is often available frozen. If you find it fresh ask your fishmonger to bone it for you.

SMALL, TENDER, AND SWEET, MANILA CLAMS are the most tender of the Pacific Northwest clams, which also include Pacific littlenecks, geoducks, butter clams, and jackknife clams. Manila clams are available at most fish markets. Parsley and cilantro brighten the flavor of this dish, but any other fresh herb can be used, such as thyme, basil, or oregano.

ALL SUMMER LONG we find thousands of uses for crab. Crab soup, crab salad, crab sandwiches—there’s no dish that doesn’t taste better with crab. We created this recipe with leftover Easiest Crab Salad (page 46), but if you can’t get Dungeness crab, substitute blue crab, chopped prawns or bay shrimp, or even lobster in this recipe.

DUNGENESS CRAB CAKES ARE THE QUINTESSENTIAL SEATTLE DISH, and there is much debate around town about which restaurant makes the best. Some local chefs like to add unusual ingredients to their crab cakes, but our only twist is a bit of cheese, which adds richness without overpowering the crab. We use Dungeness for its sweet crab flavor, but blue crabmeat can be substituted. To minimize last-minute preparation, you can refrigerate the crab cakes for several hours before cooking. Allow them to come to room temperature, uncovered, for at least 15 minutes before cooking, as slightly warmer cakes hold together better during cooking. Serving the crab cakes over fresh spinach with a light vinaigrette completes a lunch or dinner.

THIS IS A TRULY DECADENT DISH, but you won’t want to save it for special occasions. Adding another Pacific Northwest flavor to our classic mac and cheese was easy; the base is a cheese sauce made from flavorful crab stock, and cauliflower balances the sweet crab flavor.

THIS IS THE SAME GREAT BEECHER’S MAC AND CHEESE recipe taken to a new level, with the spice of chiles and the addition of vegetables. Feel free to experiment with leftover cheeses for new flavor combinations.