Recipes with thyme

Lighter clam chowder made entirely in the microwave with leeks, potatoes, sweet corn, and low-fat milk. No cream, no roux, ready in about 40 minutes.

One-pot baked rice with broccoli, kidney beans, peppers, and tomatoes simmered in vegetable stock. Hearty vegetarian main dish topped with melted Monterey Jack.

Tournedos of lotte (monkfish) with lobster, sauteed monkfish medallions plated with lobster meat in a silky Cognac-cream sauce enriched with homemade lobster butter. An elegant French restaurant classic for special occasions.

Italian rabbit loin brined, seared, then simmered with braised fennel, balsamic, and white wine. Finished with a bright herb salsa verde for restaurant-level plating at home.

Grilled Idaho potato ratatouille salad with eggplant, zucchini, summer squash, portobello, and roasted garlic balsamic. A showstopping summer barbecue side that treats vegetables as the main event.

Penne pasta with sun-dried tomatoes, capers, fresh thyme, tarragon, and green peas in a broth-based sauce. Low-fat, full of flavor, and loaded with six cloves of garlic.

Potato and sweet potato torte: thin-sliced Yukon gold and sweet potatoes layered with buttery thyme-scented leeks, baked into a tender, stacked round cake you flip out and slice at the table. A stunning vegetable side.

Marinated tortellini skewers with mushrooms and bell pepper diamonds, threaded and displayed on an acorn squash for a dramatic party platter.

Bread Provencale is a Provençal stuffed baguette filled with sausage, tomatoes, olives, capers, and basil, then chilled overnight and sliced into rounds. A make-ahead picnic classic from the South of France.

Front porch fried catfish dipped in buttermilk and coated in seasoned cornbread stuffing mix with garlic, thyme, and red pepper. Deep-fried golden in just 2 to 3 minutes per batch.

Beefsteak smothered in onions (filet braise aux ognons): pounded round steak braised for two hours over six sliced onions with vinegar, thyme, bay, and garlic. Classic French-Creole comfort.

Grilled mustard-coated chicken breast sliced over a mixed bean salad with black-eyed peas, fresh tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, and herbs in a balsamic vinaigrette. Served at room temperature.

Greek fish baked in grape leaves with lemon-thyme-fennel marinade and anchovy butter. Whole small fish wrapped and oven-baked for moist, herbed, Mediterranean-style flesh and dramatic presentation.

Try making this healthy variation of chicken stock that can be used to make soups and stews.

Louisiana chicken gumbo with ham, okra, fresh oysters, and file powder, slow-simmered for two hours and served over rice. An authentic Cajun one-pot meal.

Light vegetarian lasagna with a from-scratch tomato herb sauce simmered two hours, layered with part-skim ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan. No meat, no oil in the sauce, still deeply satisfying.