February 2010

You can grill, saute, or broil these shrimp, which are still in their shells. In winter, the broiler takes only a few minutes. If you have a nice-looking cast-iron skillet, set it right on the table. Peel the shrimp at the table, which is messy but fun.

For vegetarians, bake hollowed out eggplant halves filled with zucchini, tomatoes, and feta, and topped with bread crumbs and Parmesan. For a hearty second-day dish, mix leftover eggplant with pasta, ricotta, and feta.

Use a panini press if you have one, but a grill pan or heavy skillet works well.

This gratin of sliced potatoes baked with cream and milk is a French classic. Some versions contain grated cheese, but this one does not. You can also blanch the potatoes first, which we skip here. Slice the potatoes very thinly, either on a hand-held slicing gadget or fancy mandoline. Food-processor feed tubes are so narrow that potatoes must be halved or quartered lengthwise first, which will taste fine in the finished gratin, but it won’t look as elegant in the dish. Layer the potatoes with milk, cream, salt, and pepper. Not much to it.

You need half the cooked potatoes from the gratin, which are baked with lightly beaten eggs until the edges set. This Spanish dish is similar to an Italian frittata.

Potatoes are finely cut into small cubes, then cooked risotto-style.

Position racks in the top third and the bottom third of the oven so that the chicken and the carrots can roast together.

A hearty bowl of pasta plus savory cheese? You'd never know this whole-grain comfort food is diet-friendly! Squash supplies all the vitamin A you need for the day.