Shellfish

The secret to the crisp coating in this recipe? Crushed potato chips.

Lobster and truffle oil give this dish the true stamp of indulgence.

Squid is popular all over the Mediterranean; it's especially good in this tangy dish, which is nice as an appetizer. If you would like it to be less tart, just stir in a little extra olive oil before serving.

Here is a terrific lower-fat version of the classic New Orleans dish.

Here's a marinade that was inspired by the spicy food served at a favorite Connecticut restaurant of the same name. It's nice for jumbo shrimp, sea scallops and chicken. The recipe makes enough to marinate about 1 1/2 pounds of seafood or poultry. Any marinade coming in contact with raw meat, seafood or poultry must be boiled for one minute before using it for basting.

Sole mousselines are a culinary classic — we added scallop to bring in a note of sweetness that perfectly balances the fresh flavor of the cucumber soup. The mousselines would also be delicious served on their own with a beurre blanc, or the purée could be spread and baked in a loaf pan and served as fish pâté. This recipe is an accompaniment for Warm Cucumber Soup with Scallop and Sole Mousselines.

This dish is ideal for entertaining, because you can prepare the sauce ahead and then simply toss it with the cooked pasta. Do not overcook the shrimp!

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 15 min

Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 1 hr

If fresh chervil is unavailable in your area, substitute fresh basil leaves for the oil and garnish the mussels with tiny basil leaves.