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43 recipes perfect for two from the L.A. Times Test Kitchen

"When you slow-cook fish, the flavor seems much fresher, the taste is much cleaner," says chef David LeFevre. Recipe: White wine-steamed bass with horseradish creme

“When you slow-cook fish, the flavor seems much fresher, the taste is much cleaner,” says chef David LeFevre. Recipe: White wine-steamed bass with horseradish creme

  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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Looking for recipe ideas just for two? Want to fix a nice dinner without having to worry about a ton of leftovers? Whether you’re planning a special dinner or a simple weeknight dinner, we have ideas for a wide range of tastes and diets, including elegant salads, fish, poultry and even vegan dishes. And no, we didn’t forget dessert.

Hazelnut sherry zabaglione

Try a sherry-based zabaglione, whisking in a moderately sweet oloroso with just a touch of hazelnut liqueur. The custard is full-bodied and lightly sweet from the aged sherry, the hints of hazelnut earthy and warm. Recipe: Hazelnut sherry zabaglione

  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Meyer lemon posset

Delicate, creamy and simple to make. Recipe: Meyer lemon posset

  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

Frozen chocolate zabaglione

This rich and creamy dessert delivers chocolate accented with a hint of port. Recipe: Frozen chocolate zabaglione

  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Cote de boeuf

A thick, 2-pound, bone-in rib steak, some coarse sea salt and pepper. It doesn’t take much more to make a perfect main course. Recipe: Cote de boeuf

  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

Shrimp and broccoli stir-fry

Recipe: Shrimp and broccoli stir-fry

  (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Chicken with sesame and Sichuan pepper

A cold chicken preparation adapted from Robert A. Delfs’ “The Good Food of Szechwan” combines the ground aromatic peppercorns with that everyday Asian quartet of ginger, soy sauce, rice vinegar and sesame oil to make an enchantingly fragrant sauce that transmutes a simple poached chicken breast into a tantalizing and memorable delicacy. Recipe: Cold chicken slices with sesame and Sichuan pepper

  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Cooking, Scribe Style

Chicken is flavored with a blend of soy sauce, lemon juice, coriander, cinnamon, pepper and fennel. Recipe: Soy-sauteed chicken

  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Joe's wild mushroom soup

Wild mushroom soup is a rich purée. Recipe: Joe’s wild mushroom soup

  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

Rigatoni with mushrooms and pancetta

This pasta sauce has an old-fashioned long-simmered taste, but takes less than 15 minutes to cook. Recipe: Rigatoni with mushrooms and pancetta

  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Snapper fillet

Recipe: Canele’s pan-seared snapper

  (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

Duck legs roasted with mustard

Madeleine Kamman, in her book “In Madeleine’s Kitchen”, suggests roasting the legs under a coating of Dijon mustard and breadcrumbs. The crust keeps in the juices while the meat turns succulent. Recipe: Duck legs roasted with mustard

  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Crab salad

Toss fat chunks of crab with a fruity dressing of orange and lime juices with fava beans and diced avocado, then with butter lettuce, and you get a decadent salad and an extravagant appetizer in one. Recipe: Crab salad

  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

Beet greens

Beet greens can be stewed with golden raisins and pine nuts and then served at room temperature in a dish that is popular during the hot summer months. Recipe: Beet greens with golden raisins and pine nuts

  (Anacleto Rapping / Los Angeles Times)

Basque-style chicken

Chicken breasts are topped with a sauce of tomatoes, olives, herbs and rich pancetta. Recipe: Basque-style chicken

  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

Honey chipotle shrimp salad

The honey chipotle shrimp salad at the Getty Center’s restaurant is blended with a cilantro lime cream. Recipe: Honey chipotle shrimp salad

  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Tuscan kale salad

Recipe: Tuscan kale salad

  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Kale and quinoa salad

Dark green julienned strips of kale are tossed with nutty quinoa and sunflower seeds, colorful bell pepper and red grapes, then dressed with a bright Champagne vinaigrette. Recipe: La Grande Orange Cafe’s kale and quinoa salad

  (Christina House/For the Times)

Grilled shrimp skewers and charmoula

Grilled shrimp skewers with charmoula make for a quick yet flavorful dinner. Recipe: Grilled shrimp skewers with charmoula

  (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

Wilted dandelion greens with bacon

Dandelion greens and bacon are a natural combination. Recipe: Wilted dandelion grens with bacon

  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Cleo's Brussels sprouts

Recipe: Cleo’s Brussels sprouts

  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Steamed boy choy with Thai sauce

Steamed baby bok choy is delicious eaten as is, but you can spruce it up with an Asian sauce. You can serve this with fish or chicken or eat it by itself as a light entree. Recipe: Steamed bok choy with Thai sauce

  (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Vegetarian Hunan-style tofu

You might never miss the meat with this hearty vegetarian dish. Recipe: Vegetarian Hunan-style tofu

  (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

Savory stuffed French toast

This savory take on the comfort food -- stuffed with bacon, Gruyere cheese and dandelion greens and pan-fried to ooey-gooey perfection -- works well served any time of the day. Recipe: Savory stuffed French toast

  (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

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