Shellfish

Lemon juice is an integral part of this classic dish. Choose the smallest clams possible, and make sure not to overcook them.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A twist on the traditional sauce for raw oysters. It works well with steamed clams, too.

We took the feta cheese out of this classic dish and stirred it into the rice that accompanies it, for a yummy variation. A cucumber salad is the perfect partner. Buy your favorite cookies for dessert.

Romesco sauce, a piquant mixture of chilies, nuts, and tomatoes, is a typical seasoning for seafood in the Catalan province of Tarragona. Although fresh coriander is not an ingredient found in the traditional Spanish pantry, its flavor lends a nice touch to this dish.

Chayote (often mistaken for a squash) is a fruit with a cucumber-like taste and texture. The sweet-spicy balance of this appetizer goes well with Sauvignon Blanc or beer.

When WABC-TV visited gourmet's test kitchens several months ago, the cameraman, Fred Mason of Teaneck, New Jersey, said we had to try his Bermuda fish chowder. He usually makes it for a crowd—you should double the recipe if you want to serve this robust fish stew at a party. Though cooking seafood for a long time may seem unusual, it is traditional for a Bermuda-style chowder, and we think you'll agree with Mason (and with us) that this chowder is first-rate. The special pepper sauce that completes the dish will transport you to the island. In Bermuda, fish chowder is spiked with local rum—usually Gosling's Black Seal. And the finishing touch is Sherry pepper sauce, a Bermudian condiment. Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

Puerto Nuevo, a seaside village in Baja California, Mexico, is famous for its Pacific spiny lobster. For food safety, be sure to broil the lobsters immediately after they have been boiled and split. What to drink: Assorted chilled Mexican beers.

Look for Gold or Strawberry papayas. Their sweet flavor complements this tangy crab salad beautifully.

When fresh wide rice noodles are stir-fried, they are called fun. Fresh rice noodles have to be pulled apart and fluffed before cooking.

(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.

This Italian-style stew — called cioppino — makes a hearty supper. Serve it with a green salad, garlic bread and a crisp white wine.