Chinese-American, Mediterranean and Gulf Coast dishes built around a medium-rare filet

General Tso chicken is deep-fried everywhere it is sold, and this one is not. This dish is chicken thigh baked hot until the edges catch, then tossed through the sauce off the heat so the coating does not slump in the container overnight. It will never be as loud as the takeout version. It also will not be sitting in oil by Wednesday, which is the trade I will take.

Berries are cheap and genuinely good at the market this week, so the arugula salad gets strawberries, blueberries and blackberries rather than one token handful. Balsamic dressing rides in a separate cup, since berries in vinegar collapse inside a few hours. The pecans go on at the last minute for the same reason they are toasted dry for the salmon — they lose their snap the moment they sit in anything wet.

Reheating order matters this week. Pecan crusted salmon and the Parmesan Brussel sprouts go 400°F for 9 minutes uncovered so both crusts dry out again; General Tso chicken bites want 375°F for 8 minutes with a stir halfway. Lime cilantro basmati rice needs 90 seconds covered with a tablespoon of water.