Recipes for when there are only two of you

Most of the "Serves Two" recipes are for entrees, but there's a "Quick Sides" section, too, with delicious ways to cook and serve grains, bread and potatoes, and vegetables. There's even a chapter on vegetarian main dishes.

Every recipe sits on just one page, so cooks don't have to turn pages while they work. One testament to the book's user-friendliness and creative flair was its nomination for a 2007 James Beard Foundation award, one of the premier awards for cookbooks.

If cooks encounter roadblocks – such as hard-to-find ingredients – then they won't try the recipe, says Romanoff. But "Serves Two" promises to clear the way for even the most tentative cook to move toward feeling like gourmet chef, even if it is just for an audience of one.

Salt & Pepper Shrimp

Rice flour is the secret ingredient in this dish. But if you can't find it, cornstarch is a fine substitute. Serve with rice noodles or brown rice and a sprinkle of chopped scallions. Time: 30 minutes. Difficulty: easy.

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 teaspoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon sugar

3 cups thinly sliced cabbage, preferably napa (about 1/4 head; see note)

1 small red or orange bell pepper, very thinly sliced

2 tablespoons rice flour (or cornstarch)

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder (see note below)

10 ounces raw shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled and deveined

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 jalapeño or serrano pepper, seeded and minced

Whisk lime juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar in a large bowl until the sugar is dissolved. Add cabbage and bell pepper; toss to combine.

Combine rice flour (or cornstarch), salt, pepper, and five-spice powder in a medium bowl. Add shrimp and toss to coat. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook, stirring often, until they are pink and curled, three to four minutes. Add jalapeño and cook until the shrimp are cooked through, about a minute more. Serve the slaw topped with the shrimp. Serves two.

Notes: Cabbage can be refrigerated for up to one week. Add it to salads or soups. Look for rice flour in Asian markets or in the natural-foods section. Five-spice blend (often cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed, star anise, and Szechuan peppercorns) may be found in the supermarket spice section.

Pomodoro Pasta with White Beans & Olives

Capture the flavor of vine-ripened tomatoes with this elegant, yet quick, fresh tomato sauce. Although it's an uncooked sauce, the beans are heated briefly in the olive oil and garlic to infuse them with flavor. Time: 30 min. Difficulty: Easy.

4 ounces whole-wheat pasta shells, tubetti, ziti, or rigatoni

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed

1 large clove garlic, minced

2 ripe medium tomatoes, diced

2 tablespoons oil-cured black olives pitted and chopped (see note)

1/4 cup sliced fresh basil

Freshly ground pepper to taste

2 tablespoons freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, eight to 10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add beans and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the beans are just heated through, two to three minutes. Remove from the heat. Add tomatoes, olives, basil, and pepper. Stir gently to combine. Divide the pasta between two plates and top with the bean mixture and cheese. Serves two.

Note: Small amounts of olives can be purchased from bulk bins and salad bars.

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