For Two

Cod, sole, or flounder may be substituted for the orange roughy.

This twist on a classic salade Niçoise uses smoked salmon in place of tuna and adds extra vegetables in place of hard-boiled eggs and olives. Lovely served as an untraditional brunch, special weekend lunch or light supper.

Quintessential Greek flavors—feta, lemon and dill—combine perfectly in this hearty salad. To complete the Mediterranean mood, try pairing it with a Greek Retsina or a Portuguese Vinho Verde. 

Zabaglione is a light, foamy custard. In this elegant dessert, the warm Grand Marnier-spiked custard is spooned over fresh strawberries just before serving. yield: Makes 2 servings

Many types of bread can be substituted for white sandwich bread, including cinnamon-raisin bread and challah.

Campanelli is a frilly trumpet-shaped pasta. If you cannot find it, fusilli works well. Take care not to overreduce the vinegar, or it will become bitter.

With the addition of the fish fillets, the pan temperature drops; compensate for the heat loss by keeping the heat on medium-high for 30 seconds after adding them. A splatter screen helps reduce the mess of pan-searing. Serve salmon with a fresh salsa or squirt of lemon or lime. For heightened sesame flavor, rub the fish fillets with Asian sesame oil instead of canola or vegetable. 

Separate the eggs and whisk the yolks after the cream has finished steeping; if left to sit, the surface of the yolks will dry and form a film. The best way to judge doneness is with a digital instant-read thermometer. The custards, especially if baked in shallow fluted dishes, will not be deep enough to provide an accurate reading with a dial-face thermometer. For the caramelized sugar crust, we recommend turbinado or Demerara sugar. Regular granulated sugar will work, too. The amount of sugar needed for the topping will depend on the shape of the ramekin.

This recipe works best with asparagus that is at least 1/2 inch thick near the base. If using thinner spears, reduce the covered cooking time to 3 minutes and the uncovered cooking time to 5 minutes. Do not use pencil-thin asparagus; it cannot withstand the heat and overcooks too easily. See below for instructions to reduce the number of servings to 2 to 3.