Poultry

The lentils can be made up to a day in advance and the salad assembled at the last minute. Poached or grilled chicken breast would produce equally appetizing results.

To reduce the fat, we eliminated the cheese and toasted the corn tortillas in the oven rather than frying them in oil.

Use a store-bought roasted chicken to save time. To take this salad on a picnic, pack it in an airtight container and keep it fresh in a cooler.

The broth left over from poaching chicken breasts makes a delicious soup base. Refrigerate it in an airtight container up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 weeks; bring to a boil before using.

Ground, toasted rice adds crunch and a slight nuttiness to this salad. Thai basil, available at gourmet and farmers’ markets, has a licorice flavor, but you can use regular basil instead.

Some varieties of noodles suggest soaking them in boiling water instead of cooking them; check your package instructions before preparing them.

This traditional Scottish soup is made with chicken stock, leeks, and potatoes. If you make this soup ahead, you may need to add a bit of water or stock when reheating it.

Refrigerate the stock in airtight containers for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 6 months. We added canned broth to fortify the stock’s flavor, but you can replace it with water, if you prefer.

Look for soba noodles in the Asian section of your supermarket.

You will need to make the stock at least 1 day before you make the soup.

You can use the mushroom broth from this recipe in other soups and dishes as well; it is particularly good in risottos. For a heartier version, add cooked and drained soba or udon noodles, or serve brown rice on the side. This soup can be prepared through step 2 up to 3 days in advance; for best results, store the broth separately from all other items. Proceed with step 3 the day the soup will be served.

Steps 1 and 2 can be done up to 1 day ahead; refrigerate until ready to serve.