Call it my culinary secret weapon, or a kitchen cure-all, but I'm a big believer in the egg garnish.

A poached or soft-cooked version can add a hit of richness to any dish with its oozing center. In any form, it lends a necessary boost of protein. When I'm looking for that missing piece of the puzzle, the answer is often in the egg.

Lately, we've been all about hard-boiled in the house. The cooking method takes well to older eggs, so when my new biweekly carton comes with my CSA box, I'll take any unused eggs from the old batch and boil them.

Having a bowl at the ready means the family can grab breakfast on the go, or, as in the case of the roasted romaine and cauliflower salad, I'll chop them up to turn a side salad into a more substantial dinner.

These are ingredients that store well, so it can become a last-minute meal when shopping sounds too ambitious.

Roasted romaine hearts and cauliflower florets form the base of the salad, to be flavored with fresh lemon juice, chile peppers and capers. Topped with the eggs and crisp, coarse breadcrumbs - chop fancy croutons for a shortcut - this is plenty for a light dinner. If you're feeling extra hungry, some chopped, thick bacon wouldn't hurt.

The second recipe was my answer to Valentine's Day dinner on Friday, when making a reservation for some overpriced set menu sounded worse than jury duty. Instead, we stepped it up and dined at home, cracking open a bottle of wine that did double-duty in a compote as well as on the table, and spending a little extra on filet mignon.

The sauce was so simple to make that I've vowed to re-create it on a weeknight, maybe with a quicker-cooking cut of beef like a thin New York strip. The steak, seasoned generously with salt and pepper, can cook in less than 10 minutes on the stove while the sauce reduces.

The recipe serves four, but it's a generous amount of meat for an average weeknight. If you have leftover sauce, use it over chicken or served with cheese.

The beef would be good again the morning after. Steak and eggs, perhaps?

New York Strip Steak With Wine-Stewed Fruit Compote Serves 4 Depending on how much sauce you want on your steak, you may have a little compote left over. It's delicious on crostini with a soft cheese like brie or triple cream. Or, serve it over chicken. Compote

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons minced shallots

3/4 cup dried cranberries

3/4 cup dried cherries

1 cup red wine

1/2 cinnamon stick

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon orange zest

-- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Steak

4 New York strip steaks, each about 3/4- to 1-inch thick, about 1 1/2-2 pounds total

-- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

-- Chives (optional garnish) Instructions: Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. When it begins to foam, add the shallots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the cranberries and cherries, and add the wine, cinnamon stick, bay leaf and orange zest. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer about 20 minutes, until the berries are plumped and the wine has reduced by about half. Remove the cinnamon and bay leaf, and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, season the steak generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil. When the oil is very hot but not smoking, add the strip steaks. Cook about 4 minutes, until a crust forms. Flip the steaks and cook another 2-3 minutes for medium rare, or a few minutes longer if you prefer the steaks more well-done. Let steaks rest at least 5 minutes. Serve hot, topped with the compote and garnished with chives, if desired. Per serving: 754 calories, 34 g protein, 37 g carbohydrates, 46 g fat (20 g saturated), 137 mg cholesterol, 99 mg sodium, 4 g fiber. Wine pairing: The compote is a challenge to pair with wine, though stewing it helps moderate the fruit sweetness. Try a soft, fruity Zinfandel.