Shellfish

"My brother has a small shrimping net, and once, years ago, he brought me several pounds of shrimp after a successful trip," says Robert Randolph of Perdido Beach, Alabama. "I created this appetizer as a way to use all that shrimp. Now, whenever my brother stops by with his catch, my family requests this dish."

Great on their own or in pastas and salads.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

We tried this recipe with several brands and varieties of beans, and Goya's small white beans held their shape the best.

Camarones al mojo de ajo is a favorite Mexican dish. Here, instead of swimming in butter, it swims in a flavorful sauce.

I know what you're thinking: Another crabcake. Well, all crabcakes are not alike. When this dish goes on Commander's menu, more than half our patrons will order it. They probably feel as my mother does: "True jumbo lump crabmeat is the caviar of Louisiana." We want to highlight the crabmeat, not mask it with heavy binders or frying, so this has no bread crumbs and only a small amount of binder. And the cakes are _not_fried, making them incredibly light. As for the accompaniment, crab and corn are a classic Creole combination.

"I'm originally from Ecuador, and I'll never forget the wonderful food there," Maria Budde of Orange, California. "I enjoy re-creating dishes from my home country, and this flavorful starter is typical of my native cuisine. It's simple to make and delicious."

Jody Adams makes this dish in a 14-inch cast-iron skillet with a lid, but since that size is rare in home kitchens, we've adapted the recipe for a roasting pan.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Northern Greeks, particularly those from Salonika, eat a lot of clams and mussels, usually as mezedes. Here's an easy-to-make dish from Greece's "second city" Cappetino.

Smoky andouille sausage is the perfect counterpoint to the delicate scallops.

"Although I live in Athens," writes Yolanda Paterakis, "my connection to the islands is very strong — my husband, Andreas, is from Crete, and we have a vacation home on the Greek island of Euboea in the Aegean Sea. No matter where we are, we love to entertain our two children, our three grandchildren, and scores of friends. For these get-togethers, I always prepare quick, simple dishes because my busy schedule demands it; I write children's and travel books, and I'm the general secretary of the National Society of Greek Writers. I've often thought that cooking is like writing a story — always best when you put your heart into it." Rich and fragrant, this main course goes well with boiled potatoes or rice.

Creamy on the inside and crunchy on the outside, these are fragrant with Indian curry and cilantro. Scallops are a less expensive alternative to crab, and they make a moist, plump little cake. Prepare the scallop cakes ahead and simply reheat right before guests arrive.

Threads of rosy-tipped snow crabmeat look pretty atop this jade green soup, but you may want to splurge on jumbo lump crabmeat. This is also delicious hot.

Active time: 1 1/2 hr Start to finish: 5 1/2 hr In an April 1975 article titled "The Phenomenal Food Processor," Gourmet introduced the Cuisinart to the world. More than 25 years later, no American kitchen seems well equipped without one. Early on, the food processor dazzled us with mousselines and silken brioche dough; pulverized parmesan cheese; shredded, sliced, and puréed vegetables; pulsed pie dough, and spreadable pâtés. It was even easy to clean. Here, the processor transforms a dinner party standard — coquilles St.-Jacques — into crisp little hors d'oeuvre puffs.