Fish

A quick 2-hour marinade of maple syrup, mustard, and rum turns the salmon dark and glazes the flesh. Boneless sides of Atlantic farm-raised salmon are available everywhere year-round, they're consistently good, and they can be prepared simply: roasted in a hot oven. You'll need parchment paper for this recipe, available at some supermarkets or at specialty food shops.

Serve with pan-fried potatoes. What to drink: A crisp Sauvignon Blanc from California or New Zealand, or a French Sancerre.

To ensure a perfect blend of spices, chef Jason Girard makes his own Cajun seasoning, sold under the brand name BlueChef. We tested a variety of Cajun spice blends for this recipe and liked the McCormick and Spice Hunter brands for their balance of flavor. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 30 min

"You should tell your readers about Bistro Banlieue in Lombard," writes Judith Gill of Chicago, Illinois. "The smoked salmon, goat cheese, and leek tart alone is worth the short drive from Chicago." A slice of this rich tart served with mixed greens makes for a perfect starter.

The mustard dressing is used both to marinate the lamb and to coat the salad. And don't let the anchovies in the dressing scare you off. They add depth of flavor, but not a fishy taste. Complete this dish with a chilled Beaujolais.

"On a visit to Miami Beach, a friend suggested we try the Gaucho Room at Loews Miami Beach Hotel," writes Anthony M. Stephens of Concord, California. "I have had many versions of Caesar salad, but none compare to the one I ate there; the house-made herbed croutons and dressing were so fresh. Would chef Frank Randazzo share his recipe?"

This salsa would also be great on chicken or pork.

Canned salmon (with soft, edible bones) and potatoes are good sources of calcium.

It appears on your plate wrapped up like a present. But there's more to this dish than pretty presentation. When you bake salmon, potatoes, and fresh herb-sprinkled vegetables in parchment paper, something magical happens. Nestled in the package, the ingredients cook in their own juices. And when you snip the papillote open, dinner reveals itself in a cloud of aromatic steam. Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

Serve with rice, mashed potatoes, or noodles.

A green salad is all you need to make this pasta — its creaminess sharpened with a touch of horseradish — into a complete dinner. When shopping, it's helpful to know that egg noodles are usually sold coiled into small nests.

Veracruz-style mixed seafood is the centerpiece of a festive meal that's rounded out with rice and vegetables. To present it as pictured, mound the seafood salad over the Mexican Rice and surround with the Tricolor Vegetable Sauté . A piquant dressing is drizzled over the seafood and mixed into the rice.

If you prefer to present these halibut steaks with additional grill marks (as in the photo), you can grill the skin sides for about 1 minute each before grilling flesh.

At the restaurant, these are called truffles and are served on mixed greens with a watercress vinaigrette, but they are also excellent presented on their own as hors d'oeuvres.

These delicate fish dumplings are steamed and chilled between layers of cabbage leaves to keep them moist. Leftovers can be refrigerated for a couple of days.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min