Tonight calls for bold, simple cooking: a steak crusted thick with black pepper and finished in butter and garlic. You've got a quarter jar of peppercorns to use, so crack them fresh and use them generously. This is the dish that justifies keeping that jar around.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 1170 calories a serving, 76 g protein, 9 g carbohydrate, 91 g fat. From USDA figures for 86% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Crack or coarsely grind 3 tablespoons of black peppercorns with the side of a heavy knife, working in batches if needed. Press the cracked pepper and 1 teaspoon salt evenly into both sides of two 8-ounce steaks until the crust is thick and adheres well.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until smoking, about two minutes. Lay both steaks away from you, searing for 4 minutes without moving them until a dark crust forms. Flip and sear the other side for 4 minutes for medium-rare, turning down heat if the pan blackens too fast.8 min
3. Transfer the steaks to a plate. Drop 3 tablespoons of butter and 4 minced garlic cloves into the same pan and cook over medium heat, stirring gently, until the garlic softens and the butter foams, about 2 minutes. Return the steaks to the pan, tilt it, and baste each one with the butter sauce several times.3 min
4. Rest the steaks on a warm plate for 5 minutes while the pan sits off heat. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the steaks and drizzle with any remaining butter sauce from the pan.5 min

Note If you have only one steak, reduce all ingredients by half and cook it in the same way. Wrapped tightly, leftovers hold for two days and are fine eaten cold or warmed gently in a low oven. Serve with something green on the side: a salad, sautéed spinach, or roasted broccoli soaks up the peppery pan sauce well.

Two tablespoons of black pepper sounds like too much until you crack it fresh and the crust browns. This is the dinner to finally finish that half and get a cello-wrapped steak in the pan.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 430 calories a serving, 30 g protein, 7 g carbohydrate, 33 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Crack 2 tablespoons of black pepper coarsely with the side of a knife or a mortar and pestle; the pieces should be visible and chunky. Pat two 6-ounce steaks dry with paper towels and press the cracked pepper all over both sides, then salt lightly with 1 teaspoon.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over high heat until it shimmers, about 2 minutes. Lay the steaks in the pan and do not move them; let them sit for 3 to 4 minutes until the pepper crust is dark and the bottom releases easily from the pan.4 min
3. Flip the steaks and cook the other side for another 3 to 4 minutes for medium-rare, turning once more if you prefer medium. While the steaks finish, crush 4 garlic cloves and add them to the pan along with 2 tablespoons of butter in the last minute; the garlic will soften and the butter will foam.4 min
4. Transfer the steaks to a plate, scrape the pan to loosen any browned bits, and pour the buttered garlic pan sauce over the top. Let rest for 2 minutes before eating.2 min

Note Swap the steak for bone-in chicken thighs or pork chops, adjusting the cooking time to 8 to 10 minutes total. Leftovers keep in the fridge for two days and are good cold, sliced thin. Serve with a green salad or roasted potatoes to balance the pepper heat.

When the pantry is nearly bare, a small handful of black pepper berries becomes the star. This is the simplest pasta aglio e pepe, stripped down to what you have: toast and crush the peppercorns until they perfume the oil, then toss with pasta, garlic, and salt for a dish that tastes like dinner.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 10 at the stove.

About 620 calories a serving, 15 g protein, 87 g carbohydrate, 23 g fat. From USDA figures for 80% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Toast a small handful of black pepper berries for about 2 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant and lightly coloured.2 min
2. While the pepper toasts, mince 3 cloves of garlic. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add 8 ounces of pasta.
3. Once the pepper is fragrant, pour in 2 tablespoons more oil and add the minced garlic, stirring constantly until softened, about 1 minute. Turn off the heat.1 min
4. Using a mortar and pestle or the back of a wooden spoon, crush the toasted peppercorns coarsely in the skillet. Do not grind them to powder; leave them chunky.
5. When the pasta is al dente, reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet with the crushed pepper and garlic oil.
6. Toss the pasta over low heat, adding a splash of reserved pasta water at a time until the dish comes together into a light sauce that coats each strand, about 2 minutes. Taste and add salt and more pepper if needed.2 min

Note This keeps in the fridge for 2 days but tastes best fresh. Toss in a handful of grated cheese if you have it. Serve with a green salad or anything pickled.