For Two

There’s something about pasta, cooked properly, that trumps all the other possibilities. And the smell of pasta boiling is a heady cheap thrill. With a few basic staple pantry items, a true feast can be ready in minutes. Good spaghetti, good olive oil, garlic and a little red pepper are all you need, plus some anchovy and capers if you have them.

This easy approach to poached salmon turns out buttery, flawless fish. The trick to getting domino-fall flakes of salmon? Microwave it in a simple saltwater solution at full power and let it rest for an equal amount of time before serving. The water both seasons the fish and helps it cook evenly. You can add a teaspoon of sugar or syrup to the saltwater to add a subtle sweetness, and aromatics, such as rosemary or dill to create additional layers of flavor.

Weeknight Meaty Chili gets a lot of its taste from the same ingredients that go into traditional chili; onions, garlic, cumin, tomatoes, chili powder. Plant-based meats from companies like Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat have developed a faux ground beef that not only tastes like the real thing but it feels right too. Jack Bishop says the companies put a lot of research into giving the veggie meats just the right texture and chew.

The fake meats fall short, however, when it comes to protein. Four ounces of ground beef has about a third more protein than veggie meat.

I’m all about snacks. Whether it’s something to crunch on during a movie, or giving dinner guests something to munch on while dinner’s in the oven, any new additions to my snack game are welcome.

If I can make those snacks healthy, that's even better. If I can somehow give chickpeas the addictive crunch and cheesy taste of a bag of Cheetos? Holy moly — hold me back from going into full-on snack-attack mode.

Chile powder adds sting, honey lends sweetness, and butter gives a creamy richness to these succulent roasted shrimp. Even better, the dish comes together in minutes, making it an ideal after-work meal or extremely speedy appetizer. The shrimp are also excellent tucked into a baguette for a shrimp sandwich. If you happen to have a jar of hot honey (chile-spiced honey), you can use that instead of combining the honey and cayenne. Just be sure to use a light hand with the lime juice at the very end; hot honey also contains vinegar, so taste as you go.

A hot nonstick skillet, a touch of butter, and a lid combine to produce perfectly cooked fried eggs—with crisp edges, tender whites, and runny yolks—in just a few minutes.

Impatience was the main reason I failed at searing tofu. For years, I had given in to the temptation to poke it, turn it, examine it, annoy it. Then I finally learned that, like any very moist ingredient (fish, mushrooms, tomatoes), the less you bother it, the browner and crisper it will get.

This has some of the components of fried rice, but you don’t have to keep tossing it while you make it. Add chopped ham and frozen peas near the end of cooking, then top each bowl with a 5-minute egg. 

Tiny red aduki beans deliver a low-fat source of protein and fiber while balancing the flavor of sweet potatoes and bitter greens.

New Deal Fish Market, a family owned and operated business since 1928, is a retailer of fresh seafood and gourmet products.  Located in Cambridge Massachusetts, New Deal serves the walk-in public with the finest fresh seafood and gourmet food items meant to be prepared at home.