Seafood

Four ingredients — and packed with flavor. **What to drink:**Try a crisp, dry rosé with berry-cherry notes, like El Coto de Rioja 2006 Rosado, Spain ($10).

Order scallop baking shells from surfasonline.com or call 866-799-4770.

Why you'll make it: Because it's tuna done differently, and a spicy Asian take on kebabs.

Why you'll make it: Because it's as good as a lobster roll in a simpler-to-make easier-on- the-budget package.

This classic "green sauce" (not related to the Mexican tomatillo salsa of the same name) can be used as a dip for crudités, grilled shrimp, or focaccia; or spooned over grilled fish, chicken, or lamb.

This gorgeous centerpiece dish comes together in three easy steps.

Just saying the words "Dungeness crab" creates a sense of place. Its juiciness and depth of flavor is the secret to this salad because it strikes a perfect balance with the sweet-tart dressing. Don't substitute Atlantic blue crab here; its delicacy won't work to the salad's advantage.

A lovely vinaigrette, enhanced with pan juices and the flavorful punch of a little tapenade, makes this simple broiled fish taste deep and complex.

Catfish stays tender and moist when baked in a crunchy crust of bread crumbs and cornmeal. A take on traditional New Orleans rémoulade adds a piquant punch.

The vegetables, along with the canned Italian tuna, in this colorful tossed salad create a positively satisfying meal. (Using an imported brand of tuna will make all the difference.)

• Filling can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before using. • Pissaladière strips can be baked 3 hours ahead and kept, uncovered, at room temperature.

We're convinced that red trout is well worth looking for. We love its firm texture, its delicate flavor, and its gorgeous pink flesh, which here contrasts beautifully with the green pesto—an all-purpose sauce that would taste great with just about any type of fish or pasta.

If a bite of this clean, bright "pâté" transports you to a sunny beach on Nantucket, that's because it's inspired by a similar spread offered at the island's Straight Wharf Fish Store. This rendition can be whipped up effortlessly, but it's a substantial and statement-making appetizer nonetheless.

Look for fish that's 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick. It sounds counterintuitive, but farmed fish is a better choice when raised inland, in recirculating water (rather than in crowded netpens in the wild). At the market, ask your fishmonger where the fish comes from.

Clams cooked in the shell pop open on the grill, just like they do when steamed. And there's a bonus for the cook: No big, heavy pot is needed.

Charmoula is a North African mixture of herbs, oil, lemon, and cumin.