Date Night Dinners for Two

This elegant meal comes together in just 30 minutes, which gives you plenty of time to eat, clean, and settle in for catching up with the family. Salmon is a rich, dense fish, so it takes longer to cook through than white flaked fish like trout or tilapia. Rather than bread the fillets first, add the panko topping to the salmon when it's almost done and broil just until toasted so that the crust doesn't burn before the fish is done. Panko has an incredibly light, crisp texture that's ideal for breading. You could also use regular coarse-ground breadcrumbs or finely-chopped nuts. Dill adds a fresh, vibrant note to the yogurt mixture. Serve with our Warm Buttered Radish and Edamame Salad for a quick side.

A very hot oven quickly roasts the potatoes and finishes the chicken without overcooking. You can substitute fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise, for the small Yukon gold potatoes. Tarragon and mustard are a perfect pair—the herb's slightly sweet anise notes balance the mustard's pungency. Serve with Chile and Lime Roasted Carrots.

Make sure the cast-iron skillet is hot before adding the steaks so that they get a nicely browned crust on both sides. We like both red and orange peppers, though just one color will work. In place of tenderloin steaks, you can also use top blade steaks or petite tenders.

Look for mild Sweety Drop peppers at specialty stores, or use chopped pickled sweet cherry peppers instead. A baking steel works great here if you preheat it for an hour.

Smaller trout are often butterflied not separated into fillets, at the fish counter. Each butterflied fish is one serving. Trout gets an extra-crispy crust from the almonds. You could sub flounder for the trout and pecans or walnuts for the almonds. Serve with Fresh Brussels Sprouts Salad with Dijon Dressing.

You'll want to double the sweet and spicy sautéed pecans for snacking during the week. Sub fresh summer fruit like blueberries or nectarines for the raspberries. Grill the chicken and make the spiced pecans in advance. Change up the greens, fruit, and dressing for fast lunches.

Risotto requires no special technique, just the patience to keep stirring. Use a ladle to add liquid in even amounts. Sautéed fennel adds a touch of sweetness, but you can leave it out if you prefer and sprinkle on a little dill at the end instead. We pair this staff favorite with Grilled Balsamic Radicchio with Pine Nuts. Radicchio—that bitter, crunchy, scarlet and white vegetable Italians adore, becomes entirely different when roasted or grilled. Red and white-veined radicchio, like its chicory relatives endive and frisée, is loved and sometimes feared for its bitter edge. Tossed into a salad, radicchio is bright and assertive. Sautéed, grilled, or baked, its sharp character mellows. Its color deepens and the flavor turns mellow and nutty, with just a hint of bitterness remaining.

Lamb loin chops look like minature T-bone steaks and are much leaner than lamb shoulder chops. If you can't find them, you can substitute 2 (4-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks. Whole cumin seeds retain their flavor longer than ground cumin. Crush with a small heavy skillet. Serve with Carrot and Cumin Salad.

White wine and Dijon mustard are a classic bistro-style pair for chicken. Carrots add body and a touch of sweetness to the pan sauce, but you can leave them out, if you like. Slice the tomatoes horizontally to have a sturdier base and more surface area for the crispy topping.

This restaurant-worthy meal feels date-night special. Make sure to let the meat rest before slicing so the juices can redistribute.

Dinner need not center around meat. Here, earthy meaty shiitake mushrooms balance lemony asparagus and a rich, perfectly poached egg. Serve with Herbed Roasted New Potatoes.

With just enough for two, flank steak, grilled simply with salt, pepper, cumin, and paprika, delivers bold flavor and complements the sweetness of the rice, which stars fresh cherries, toasted pecans, and sliced carrots.

A touch of cream gives the slightly tangy sauce a silky-smooth finish in Pan-Seared Scallops on Linguine with Tomato-Cream Sauce. Be sure to serve this dish with bread so you can savor every drop of sauce.