A fillet of fish cooks fast on the stovetop in a skillet with garlic and butter, the shelf lets you get dinner on the table in under twenty minutes. The fish stays moist while the butter browns and turns nutty, a small luxury that suits a weeknight.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 300 calories a serving, 4 g protein, 8 g carbohydrate, 29 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need 1 fillet (about 10 oz) fish fillet, 3 tablespoons butter, 3 cloves garlic, to taste salt, to taste pepper, 1 tablespoon oil.

1. Pat the fish fillet dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
2. Place the fillet skin-side up in the hot skillet and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the bottom is golden and crisp, then flip and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes until the flesh is opaque throughout. The fish will flake easily when done.5 min
3. Mince 3 cloves garlic and push to the side of the skillet, then add 3 tablespoons butter. Let it melt and foam, cooking the garlic for 1 minute until fragrant while the fish finishes.
4. Transfer the fish to plates and spoon the warm garlic butter over the top. Serve right away.

Note Swap the fish for a firm white fillet like cod or halibut, or use salmon. Leftovers keep three days covered; flake cold fish into grain bowls or salads. Serve with steamed rice or boiled potatoes and a squeeze of lemon if you have it.

A whole side of fish, halved lengthwise and roasted skin-on until the flesh flakes. This is the quickest way to cook that much fish and honour the shelf. You'll have a showstopping dinner in under thirty minutes.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 10 at the stove.

About 240 calories a serving, 21 g protein, 6 g carbohydrate, 15 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need 1 half side of fish, 2 tablespoons oil, to taste salt, to taste pepper, 2 cloves garlic, 1 lemon.

1. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Pat the half side of fish dry with paper towels, then lay it skin side down on a baking sheet. Rub 2 tablespoons oil over the flesh, then scatter 2 minced garlic cloves across it. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Roast until the fish is opaque at the thickest part and the flesh flakes easily when pressed with a fork, about 12 to 15 minutes.14 min
3. Halve the lemon and squeeze it over the fish just before serving.

Note Swap a whole smaller fish for the half side and reduce roasting time to 10 minutes. Leftovers keep in an airtight container for two days; flake them into pasta or salad. Serve with boiled potatoes and a green vegetable.

A few flakes of smoked fish stretch into a full dinner on pasta with garlic and good olive oil. The fish melts into the warm noodles and coats them with subtle flavour without any fuss. Fast, elegant, the kind of thing you make when you have very little but want to eat well.

Serves 2. 12 minutes, 10 at the stove.

About 460 calories a serving, 20 g protein, 86 g carbohydrate, 3 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need a few flakes (about 2 ounces [55 grams]) fish flakes, 8 ounces [225 grams] pasta, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 cloves, sliced thin garlic, to taste salt, to taste pepper.

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add 8 ounces pasta and stir often until it is one minute shy of tender, about 8 minutes for most shapes.8 min
2. While the pasta cooks, warm 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 cloves sliced garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant and just starting to soften, about 1 minute.1 min
3. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and add it to the skillet with the garlic oil. Toss gently, adding 2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water to loosen the oil. Break the fish flakes over the pasta and toss once or twice to distribute them; they will soften in the heat.
4. Taste and add salt and pepper. Add more pasta water if the pasta seems dry. Divide between two bowls and serve at once.

Note Swap the pasta for rice if you prefer. Leftovers keep two days covered in the fridge and are best reheated gently with a splash of water. Serve with a green salad or steamed greens on the side to round out the plate.