Seafood

Here is a light and festive way to introduce a holiday meal. This elegant soup goes very well with Champagne.

At the fish market, ask them to remove the head, tail and bones from the trout, then to cut each trout into two fillets, leaving the skin intact.

These sophisticated crab quesadillas need only six minutes of stove time. Citrus, green onions and Monterey Jack cheese provide delicate flavor; when teamed with a salad, the quesadillas make a light and lovely meal. Pour a dry Gewürztraminer, and finish with melon accented with fresh mint.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Makes use of the microwave oven.

A simple dish from the Cottage Inn, Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Serve this lovely dish with Champagne.

With steamed asparagus and some rice or mashed potatoes, this easy dish is elegant enough for company.

Corsica's finest dishes feature fresh seafood. Here's an uncomplicated and delicious example.

Literally translated as "hot bath," this dipping sauce for vegetables often appears in many Italian homes as part of the Christmas Eve buffet. Although cardoons (an edible thistle related to the artichoke but resembling celery) are traditional, celery makes a fine substitute and any combination of vegetables will do. In Italy, the routine goes like this: Vegetable pieces are dipped into the sauce (a fondue-style fork will help) and then eaten, with a slice of bread held underneath to catch the drippings. Once the bread is soaked with sauce, it's eaten, too. Then everyone starts over. It's fun for a party appetizer no matter where you live.

In this simple but irresistible recipe from Aqua in San Francisco, chef de cuisine Jay Wetzel prepares tuna steak like a traditional beef pepper steak. Sautéed spinach and roasted baby potatoes are delicious alongside, and individual lemon tarts round out the menu. This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This all-in-one main course can be made several hours ahead.

Serve this stew over rice or on its own as a soup. Either way, sprinkle lettuce with rice vinegar and oriental sesame oil for a light salad. Sliced blood oranges and holiday cookies will do nicely afterward.

The wonderful flavor for the halibut comes from sautéing it with anchovies, parsley, and garlic and then finishing it in the oven along with the tagliarini and its creamy cooking water. Shellfish such as clams, mussels, or prawns are also all delicious prepared in this parsley, garlic, and anchovy sauce. Serve with a dry reserve Riesling, such as Oregon's Argyle Vineyards, 1996.