Keep food staples on hand when Plan A doesn't work

Plan A was to take off from work a bit early to indulge in some culinary therapy, cutting and chopping, and simmering a homemade soup or stew that would fill the house with great aromas. At dinnertime, for once, everyone would be relaxed. Then came the unexpected work deadline, the unplanned trip to the vet, the just-remembered meeting with your child's teacher. Time for Plan B.

The operative word in that phrase is, of course, "plan." To even have a Plan B, you have to have done some thinking, shopping and cooking ahead of time. You need to have stocked your culinary arsenal with some ammo, something flavorful like a rub, a sauce, a marinade or a relish that can be used to turn a plain piece of meat, fish or poultry into a fabulous and tasty meal.

When I first read the recipe for "Quick Weekday Roast Chicken with Potatoes" from "The New Portuguese Table" by David Leite (2009 Clarkson Potter), I was tempted to, as they say, LOL. There's nothing "quick" about it. The Amped-Up Red-Pepper Paste, after all, requires 13 ingredients, which, no matter how fast a cook you are, take some time to assemble. But I read more closely and learned that the paste will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to one whole month and can be used on beef, chicken or fish - even potatoes - for a rich and delicious seasoning. If you're talking about a culinary arsenal, using this paste is the equivalent of bringing out the big guns. This lovely new book has a number of such recipes, including homemade hot sauce and an eggless milk "mayonnaise."

This meal is still not exactly "quick." The chicken takes about an hour and a half to cook. But while it's cooking, you can check your e-mail, pay the bills, help the kids with homework, or sip a glass of wine and just relax.

• Marialisa Calta is the author of "Barbarians at the Plate: Taming and Feeding the American Family." More at marialisacalta.com.

<div class="infoBox"> <h1>Recipes</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> </div> <div class="recipeLink"> <ul class="moreLinks"> <li><a href="/story/?id=326527" class="mediaItem">Amped-up Red-Pepper Paste </a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=326526" class="mediaItem">Quick Weekday Roast Chicken With Potatoes</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>