Better Than Take-out and Almost As Quick

In the same amount of time it takes to go to your nearby carry-out, you can make a delicious meal. Often flavor is sacrificed for convenience and speed but it doesn’t need to be. By using robust-tasting ingredients, you can have almost instant meals, probably at a fraction of the cost.

For example, now’s the time to use summer tomatoes. They are so packed with sweet, spicy juices that they create their own delicate sauce when sliced. You don’t need to simmer tomatoes more than five minutes to have a great pasta topper.

Other favorite foods that deliver a flavor punch include blue cheese, anchovies, garlic, capers and herbs, especially arugula and basil.

More ingredients and more time on the stove don’t necessarily make for a better-tasting dish. To make a great linguine dinner, add diced tomatoes to a saute of zucchini, garlic, anchovies, capers and basil. Mix with cooked pasta, and it’s fast food with flavor.

You may not think of a sandwich as a meal, and it may not be a meal if you’re using tasteless fillings. Think flavor and make a Stilton cheese, arugula and hazelnut spread. Smear it on bread or on pear slices or on both. Now you’re showing good taste.

LINGUINE WITH TOMATO, ZUCCHINI AND CAPERS

1/2 pound linguine

Salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 zucchini, trimmed and thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

6 anchovy fillets, minced

2 tablespoons capers

1 large tomato, cored and diced

1/4 cup minced basil

Freshly ground white pepper

1 to 2 tablespoons chicken broth, optional

Cook linguine in large pan of boiling salted water until al dente, 7 to 10 minutes.

Heat olive oil in large skillet. Add zucchini and garlic and saute over high heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat and add anchovies and capers and heat through.

Drain linguine and toss with zucchini mixture to coat. Stir in tomato and basil. Season generously with pepper. If pasta is dry, add chicken broth or boiling pasta water and toss again. Serve warm.

2 servings. Each serving:

600 calories; 781 mg sodium; 10 mg cholesterol; 16 grams fat; 93 grams carbohydrates; 20 grams protein; 1.36 grams fiber.

ARUGULA, STILTON AND HAZELNUT SANDWICHES

1/2 cup Stilton cheese, at room temperature

2 tablespoons whipping cream or milk

2 tablespoons chopped hazelnuts

1/4 cup chopped arugula leaves, stems removed

2 thick slices French bread

2 pears, cut into thin wedges

Blend cheese, cream, nuts and arugula in bowl until light.

Spread cheese mixture on bread and top with pear slices or spread on bread or pear slices.

2 servings. Each serving:

395 calories; 680 mg sodium; 47 mg cholesterol; 19 grams fat; 46 grams carbohydrates; 12 grams protein; 2.46 grams fiber.