Shellfish

A dish created by Kevin Taylor, Chef of Café Iguana, in Denver, Colorado.

Pecan-studded rice pilaf and sautéed pattypan squash are great with the scallops, and lemon pound cake with sugared berries tops off the meal nicely.

The bold flavors of Spain's famous paella-sausage, seafood and saffron-meet the luscious, creamy texture of Italy's risotto in this beautiful rice dish. Pour a chilled dry white wine during dinner, and offer flan for dessert.

The following recipe calls for filé powder, a spice made from the dried, ground leaves of the sassafras tree. Although often added as a thickener to gumbos while they cook, filé powder can also serve purely as a seasoning. As in this recipe, it is then sprinkled over the gumbo at the penultimate moment.

This salad is as versatile as it is delicious. We loved it with squid and with shrimp. Add a loaf of crusty bread, and you've got a complete meal. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

(Pasta allo Scoglio) Tuscany is not famous for its seafood dishes, but fantastic fresh fish and shellfish are available all along the coast. A scoglio is a rocky seashore, and in the traditional pasta allo scoglio, only shellfish from the rugged Mediterranean seaside can be used in the sauce. Many kinds of fish are included in the various renditions prepared up and down the Tuscan coast today. Watch how to clean and prepare shellfish and how to make your own pasta.

"Last summer I attended an event at the Three Clock Inn in South Londonderry, Vermont. The chef prepared a lovely luncheon, and it included delicious crab cakes," Bill Brett of Bondville, Vermont. "When I went home, I came up with my own version." The crab cakes are loaded with fresh crabmeat and are accented by a tangy sauce.

This dish features garam masala, a flavorful blend of roasted and ground spices used in Indian cuisine and now available in the spice section of most supermarkets. Accompany the shrimp with bottled tomato chutney or fruit chutney and a basket of warm flatbread. A mango smoothie with a plate of coconut macaroons is the perfect dessert.

Savor raw oysters served with three spicy, slightly sweet, and fiery salsas.

What the New Sammy's menu describes as a broth is really a purée. The dish is somewhat monochromatic, but its fascinating flavor spectrum will make your mouth extremely happy.

Pack the precooked crab or shrimp and the tangy sauce separately for this starter.