Shellfish

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. We were intrigued by the flavored cooking oil, ginger soy sauce and curry paste we found in the Asian foods section of the market last year, and used them to lend flair to this quick dish. Steamed white rice is the ideal side. Use a melon baller to scoop papaya, mango and passion-fruit sorbets into pretty cups, and garnish with crisp ginger cookies.

Miso soup — a fermented-soybean broth — is not difficult to make at home. Freeze the ginger and thaw it before squeezing; that way, extracting the juice will be easy. Chilled sake goes well with the meal.

Chef Jody Adams of Rialto at The Charles Hotel in Cambridge is famous for this type of rustic dish. At the restaurant she serves the stew on mashed potatoes.

Serve this elegant first course with Champagne or sparkling wine. The recipe makes a few extra pancakes for those who want seconds.

Active time: 1 1/4 hr Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

Paper clips are useful for tightly sealing these simple appetizer packages. Foil is a good substitute for the parchment. (Paper clips are not necessary with foil; just crimp the edges to seal tightly.) Be sure to discard any mussels that do not open.

A break from the standard salsa. This versatile condiment is good on crusty bread as an appetizer, and adds zip to flank steak or skirt steak for an entrée.

Hash, a venerable Yankee dish, is usually made with the leftovers from Boiled Dinner (Corned Beef) or Roast Beef Dinner. In keeping with the humble origins of hash, my version of Lobster Hash uses a modest 2 ounces of lobster meat per person. Serve this as a satisfying main dish for lunch, brunch or even a hearty breakfast.

At The Bistro of the beautiful Hotel Maison de Ville in New Orleans, chef Dominique Macquet uses crawfish in this Creole starter. We've substituted the more readily available shrimp. Chef Macquet serves garlic toasts alongside.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A rich-tasting low-fat chowder with lots of spicy curry flavor.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Pasta, a recent addition to the Irish culinary repertoire, is fast becoming a favorite. At Longueville House in Mallow, Ireland, ravioli is taken to refined heights in this dish, which is served as an appetizer. They make it with large rounds of homemade pasta, but store-bought gyoza wrappers are a good substitute.