Cauliflower

Hearty lentils and a creamy cauliflower puree make this a particularly satisfying fish dish. Curry powder is an exotic surprise in the lentils.

Willow Cheng of Santa Monica, California, writes: "I just got a big promotion and my husband wanted to take me out to dinner to celebrate. We had both heard great things about A.O.C., so we decided to check it out. The food didn't disappoint — especially the outstanding curried cauliflower."

The flavorful butter adds plenty of zip.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Makes use of the microwave oven.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Boiling away the butter and seasonings from the leftover vegetables allows the flavors of the marinade to shine through. (If you don't have any leftover veggies, simply steam a mix of your favorites.)

"My grandmother was a reporter in New York before she got married and moved to Montana to start a new life on a ranch," writes Joyce Litz of Albuquerque, New Mexico. "At the time she didn't know how to cook, and learning wasn't easy — the place didn't even have running water. Still, she appreciated good food, so she persevered and became a great cook. Later my grandmother taught me ranch-style cooking, a lot of which involved getting simple but flavorful, hearty meals ready in a hurry." Serve with diced cucumber mixed into yogurt.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

For this recipe, it's best to choose a head of cauliflower with a very dense crown so that the "steaks" will hold together during cooking. However, even if they separate a bit, the dish is still delicious.