Half a salmon fillet cooks through in minutes in a hot pan with capers and lemon, the fastest way to use what's here tonight. Serve with rice or bread to soak up the pan sauce.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 430 calories a serving, 24 g protein, 6 g carbohydrate, 35 g fat. From USDA figures for 86% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Cut the salmon fillet into two portions and pat dry with a paper towel. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Set a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons oil until it shimmers, about 2 minutes.
2. Lay the salmon skin-side down in the pan and cook for 4 minutes without moving until the skin crisps and the fish firms at the bottom. Flip and cook for 1 minute on the other side, then transfer to a plate.5 min
3. In the same pan, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat and add 2 sliced garlic cloves and 3 tablespoons capers. Stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
4. Pour in 1/4 cup wine, scrape up any browned bits from the pan, and squeeze in juice from half the lemon. Let it bubble for 1 minute. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.1 min
5. Return the salmon to the pan skin-side up and spoon the sauce over it. Cook for 1 minute to warm through, then serve with the sauce spooned alongside.1 min

Note Swap capers for a handful of chopped parsley if you have it. Leftovers keep two days refrigerated and are good cold with a squeeze of fresh lemon. Serve with steamed broccoli or a green salad, or stretch with rice or new potatoes.

Fried rice is the rightful home for a few spoonfuls of leftover salmon. The grains absorb its richness, and the heat wakes up its flavour. This comes together faster than you'd think.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 560 calories a serving, 14 g protein, 82 g carbohydrate, 19 g fat. From USDA figures for 88% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Mince 2 cloves garlic and chop 1/4 medium onion into small pieces. Crack 2 eggs into a bowl and beat them lightly with a pinch of salt and pepper.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat, add the eggs, and stir until they form soft curds, then push them to the side; when they are cooked through, transfer them to a plate. While the eggs cook, flake the cooked salmon into small pieces.5 min
3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan, stir in the garlic and onion, and cook until fragrant and the onion softens, about 2 minutes.2 min
4. Add 1 cup cold cooked rice, break up any clumps with your spoon, and stir everything together over the heat for 2 minutes. When the rice is heated through and coated with oil, drizzle in 2 tablespoons soy sauce and toss.2 min
5. Fold in the flaked salmon and cooked eggs gently, warming them through for about 1 minute. Taste for salt and pepper.1 min
6. Divide between two bowls and scatter chopped scallions over the top.

Note Swap the salmon for shrimp or leftover chicken if you like. Fried rice keeps in the fridge for up to three days and reheats well in a hot pan with a splash of water. Serve with a quick cucumber salad or pickled vegetables on the side.

A hundred grams of salmon becomes two generous open-faced toasts that taste like you tried. Quick butter and lemon turn half a fillet into something that hides nothing, so it needs to be good salmon, but you knew that.

Serves 2. 15 minutes, 12 at the stove.

About 290 calories a serving, 13 g protein, 16 g carbohydrate, 19 g fat. From USDA figures for 83% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Toast 2 thick slices of bread until golden and the interior is warm. Mince 1 garlic clove and chop 2 tablespoons of onion.4 min
2. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small pan over medium heat and cook the garlic and onion until fragrant, about 2 minutes.2 min
3. Flake 100 grams of salmon into the pan and warm through for 2 minutes, breaking it into rough pieces. Squeeze juice from half a lemon over the top, season with salt and pepper to taste.2 min
4. Divide the salmon mixture between the two toasts, spooning any butter from the pan over the top. Serve right away.

Note Swap canned salmon if fresh is not on hand; tinned keeps the cost low. Leftovers hold for one day covered in the fridge but are best eaten warm or at room temperature the same night. Serve with a green salad or steamed greens on the side to round out the plate.