30 Minutes or Less

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Radicchio, curly endive, butter lettuce and arugula are perfectly blended in this simple salad and tossed with a lemony dressing. Chef Hearon suggests uncorking a crisp Ligurian white wine or a California Charbono.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The classic combination of tomatoes, basil and cheese is unbeatable, especially with the addition of prosciutto. Pair the pizza with a salad of radicchio and romaine in an oil and vinegar dressing. Follow up with cannoli and espresso.

Legend has it that a certain turn-of-the-century Boston restaurateur used to serve whatever tender, white-fleshed fish he could find at the market under a catchall name he invented: "scrod." (That way, he never had to update his menus.) The term, peculiar to New England, is now applied to young cod and haddock. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This is inspired by the dip served at Ca'Brea in Los Angeles. Try it with sliced boiled potatoes, crostini or vegetables.

Way up in Maine, in the coastal town of Blue Hill, is Jonathan's, a small place much favored by locals. Owner Jonathan Chase and chef Richard Hanson both love fish, whether from the sea or from freshwater lakes and streams. This colorful main course is good with buttered and dilled new potatoes. Round out the meal with a green salad, and end with a slice of lattice-topped blueberry pie. (If necessary, have the fishmonger bone the trout, or use four small fillets.) Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The Strait of Messina is a rich source for swordfish, which the Sicilians prepare in many ways. Here it is at its simplest: grilled and served with salmoriglio sauce. (In Sicilian, it is sammurigghiu sauce.) The words means "brine", a translation that does not convey the taste or texture of this cooked blend of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and herbs. Serve with bread and pour a white wine, preferably Sicilian. For dessert, offer cannoli from the bakery.

Try these as appetizers, as a salad (on a bed of greens) or as a light dessert.

An easy-to-make salad, perfect for a picnic. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

I lived in the Canary Islands for ten years and am reminded in a small way of that happy time whenever I make my former neighbor's spicy potatoes (tradition has it that the real thing is cooked in sea water). I hope that you will enjoy them--they go wonderfully well with grilled fish and meat. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.