What’s old is new again, but what if they never felt old? Recipes that become classics grow into that coveted title because they instantly feel like home: palate pleasing, elevated without intimidating, and the mainstays of our menu. They are the anchors of the meal, their wrinkled and splattered pages in our cookbooks a clear proof of dinners enjoyed and plates wiped clean.

Teriyaki Salmon

Recipe by Brynie Greisman

SERVES 4–6

• 4–6 salmon steaks or fillets (approximately 1½ lbs/680 g)

Marinade

• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 3–4 Tbsp lemon juice
• ¼ cup good-quality soy sauce
• 1 tsp ground mustard or 1 Tbsp prepared mustard
• 1 tsp ginger
• ¼ tsp garlic powder or 1 small clove garlic, crushed
• ¼ cup brown sugar

Mix all ingredients for the marinade together in a glass bowl or plastic ziplock bag.

(If the sugar isn’t dissolving, you can boil the ingredients together in a small saucepan, and then let it cool.)

Set aside ⅓ cup of the marinade for basting and refrigerate. Add salmon to the rest of the marinade, cover, and refrigerate for 1 1⁄2 hours, turning once. Drain and discard marinade. Broil salmon 3–4 inches (7 1⁄2–10 cm) from heat for 5–8 minutes. Turn over and brush with reserved marinade. (A brush used to egg challos is great for this. Just rinse it well afterwards!) Broil 5–8 minutes more, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Before serving, brush with marinade again. Serve hot.

Variation: If you prefer, you can follow the basic instructions above, but bake for 5–8 minutes on each side, and then just grill for a few minutes at the end, until the top of the salmon turns to  desired color.

Tip: If you don’t have time for marinating,  you can follow the above baking instructions and baste the salmon while it’s cooking. Just be sure to baste the fish a few times so that it will absorb the taste of the marinade.

Note: The secret to successfully cooking fish is to not overcook it. Cook just until the flesh is no longer translucent and is opaque all the way through. Remember, it will continue to cook after it’s removed from the heat.

Serving Tip: Serve on a bed of curly lettuce, decorated with lemon wedges.

Sweet ’n Saucy French Roast

Recipe by Nina Feiner

SERVES 8–9

• 3–4-lb (1.3–1.8-kg) French roast
• garlic powder, for sprinkling

Sauce

• 1 cup duck sauce
• 4 Tbsp brown sugar
• 4 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp mustard
• ½ cup grape juice
• ½ cup orange juice

Sprinkle garlic powder on the meat. Mix the sauce ingredients in a bowl. Pour on the meat and cover and cook at 375°F (190°C) for about 3 hours.