Shallot

This sauce is traditionally served with fish, but we like it over steak and vegetables as well.

This recipe was created to accompany <epi:recipeLink ="14220">Grilled Shellfish and Potato Salad with Avacado Salsa, Scallion Oil, and Plum Coulis</epi:recipeLink>.<P> Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 2 hr

This sauce is really just another variant of Hollandaise, but it is sufficiently famous to be dignified with a separate heading. The sauce calls classically, for a variety of fresh herbs which may be difficult to obtain. Adequate substitutes and dried herbs solve the problem. The only real problem is tarragon. Do not use dried tarragon. If you cannot obtain fresh tarragon, use tarragon packed in vinegar.

Serve this with roast lamb or chicken. Market tip: Let the greens (if attached) be your guide to freshness when selecting turnips. Make sure they are bright green and fresh-looking.

Simmering cobs in the corn-broth mixture gives the soup extra flavor.

Eric: If you have to make mussel broth for another recipe and don't know what to do with all the leftover mussels, this dish is the perfect solution. On the other hand, if you want to make this salad and don't have a use for the broth, just freeze it. Maguy: The crunchy diced vegetables contrast perfectly with the softness of the mussels, even though it's not the wonderful moules marinière of my childhood.

Active time: 50 min Start to finish: 50 min

This gets its distinctive pink color from the addition of red wine and radicchio.

Can be prepare in 45 minutes or less.

Cajun flavors—andouille sausage, corn bread, red bell pepper and cayenne pepper—combine in an excellent side dish that brings color and spice to the Thanksgiving table.

Oyster stuffing is more traditionally associated with the New England states, but this one teams the shellfish (also common to Pacific waters) with a classic ingredient from Northern California—sourdough bread. It's an outstanding rendition of an old-fashioned stuffing.

Garlic is a perfect partner for the shellfish in this easy starter. Pass a basket of soda bread to mop all the juices.

Cèpe is the French name (porcini is the Italian name) for the boletus mushroom, which grows in the southwest. Dried cèpes are not readily available here, so we use dried porcini.