Soft rice meatballs, tomatoes and lots of vegetables in a tangy Romanian meatball soup (ciorba de perisoare), the way I grew up eating it. Simple enough for a weeknight.

Ciulama is a Romanian family favorite from the only cookbook my mum ever owned: pan‑seared chicken with crispy skin in a tangy, silky white sauce.

I am not big on pasta dishes, but gnocchi is not technically full-on pasta in my opinion. Better still, this ricotta gnocchi recipe brings a freshness and a light touch to the usual potato and flour dumplings. I like mine with plenty of fresh herbs …

This salmon and pea puree dinner is on repeat most weeks: crispy-skin salmon next to a bright green puree made with frozen peas, mint, and lemon. Ready in half an hour, and the peas bring more fiber and plant-based protein to the plate than people usually credit them for.