Sear

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

An elegant and simple main course.

This elegant dish from Tony's in St. Louis, Missouri, is perfect for a small dinner party. At the restaurant, they serve it with sautéed spinach.

Pork tenderloin makes a delicious replacement for veal in this dish. Rice and chutney complete the meal.

Couscous with fresh herbs, and steamed green beans sprinkled with toasted pine nuts would be lovely accompaniments. Dessert? Try warm apple turnovers from the bakery; top with ice cream.

Portobellos make this simple dish shine. It's from Alfred Portale's 12 Seasons Cookbook written with Andrew Friedman (Broadway Books). Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 45 min

Negimaki Many New Yorkers owe their first sushi experience to the boom in the city's Japanese population during the 1980s, which in turn led to a proliferation of Japanese restaurants. These beautiful rolls aren't raw—they're seared to create a flavorful brown crust and a medium-rare center.

Sabrina Henderson of Gardena, California, writes: "My love of cooking dates back to my junior-high home economics class. After that I took home ec every year I could. My last teacher in high school was the best. He was a former chef who taught us how to make classics like lasagna and chicken cordon bleu. I still prepare those dishes for company."

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The inspiration for this entrée comes from the Bengal delta, where fish is the food of choice. The area is also known for its use of nigella (black onion) seeds and fenugreek seeds, which are sold at Indian markets.

Steaks at Tequila restaurant are offered with sautéed chard and roasted red potatoes.

Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 1 hr

Serve with: Parslied new potatoes and a frisée salad with goat cheese. Dessert: Pineapple sorbet with sliced strawberries.

This tangy relish also goes well with chicken or pork.

If you are not able to find Pont l'Evêque cheese, either Taleggio or Brie would also work well in this lovely starter from Charlie Trotter's in Chicago.