Shellfish

Sometimes we forget that there is more to Mexican food than our favorite enchiladas and puffy tacos. In fact, there are many specialty seafood dishes throughout the country, varying in style and preparation, yet equally delicious. Veracruz is a central Mexican city on the Gulf of Mexico, and it’s where many Spanish conquistadors landed when first coming to the Americas. Here, culinary traditions began to meld—not only Spanish but also Mediterranean, French, and Caribbean. The result is Veracruzano—Veracruz style. We love serving our version of this dish over a bed of fluffy quinoa, which is an excellent vehicle for soaking up the delicious juices.

This dish has been a favorite at T. W. Graham & Co. for more than 30 years, due in no small part to the quality and freshness of the local crabmeat used.

First, tenderize the octopus by simmering it at a low boil for about an hour (ignore the myths about adding vinegar or a cork from a bottle of wine). Then char it on the grill to crisp the skin.

Briny shellfish give this quick bouillabaisse its depth of flavor. Basil rouille (a garlicky Provençal mayonnaise) adds vibrancy.

Enough to marinate 2 pounds of pork (tenderloin, shoulder, or bone-in chops) or fish (firm, white-fleshed fish such as sea bass; shrimp or scallops)

Smoky paella is perfect for a crowd. This recipe for six is designed for cooking on a charcoal grill—though a gas grill works in a pinch.

I just love cooking these little snacks as a starter. I like to think of them as the grown-up version of potato wedges with sweet chile and sour cream. Whoever came up with that combination deserves a medal. These cakes work well with shrimp, crayfish and even roast chicken but I especially like them with crabmeat. Enjoy!

A bowl of this succulent soup can help you burn up to 30 percent more fat during a later workout, courtesy of the vitamin C in subtly sweet mangoes.

In addition to being a great source of good-for-you fat, avocados are full of fiber and bloat-busting potassium.

Simple preparations like this let the buttery flavor and langoustine-like texture of Santa Barbara spot prawns, a West Coast delicacy, shine. Feel free to substitute any jumbo American shrimp.

How do you impart the most flavor in a boil without overcooking the shrimp? Ice! Adding 4 cups of ice cubes to the pot as soon as the shrimp are cooked through allows them to continue to absorb the flavors of the boil without getting tough. For a classic meal, pair with corn on the cob and boiled potatoes, or serve as a starter for a crowd.

The paper-thin crust and pillowy crumb of a New Orleans—style French roll is essential to this classic sandwich—as is Crystal hot sauce.

Sautéing and simmering shrimp shells to make a quick stock gives this soup a deeper, richer flavor.

Briny-sweet crab and piquant chiles shine on subtly flavored white bread.

Grilled squid—yaki ina—is a fixture of street fairs, shrine festivals, and pushcart vendors. Its phenomenal soy sauce fragrance makes it almost impossible to pass by without wanting one.

Use this as a finisher atop a grilled steak or to enrich pasta dishes.

(Enchiladas de Cangrejo con Mole Verde) Now that lump crabmeat is more readily available, a great way to enjoy it is with the aromatic spiciness of green mole. This is a rich dish and will go well with a side salad. Of course, you can also use any other kind of enchilada sauce that you like.

This dish has fresh, clean flavors, and is best eaten with fresh crusty bread and a glass of chilled white wine.

Tai Missoni got this recipe from the Milan restaurant Osteria La Risacca when he asked the owner what he ate at lunch. Adding white wine to the boiled potatoes keeps them moist.

Ask my Catalan friend Pep and my Catalan-wannabe friend Ted which of the three of us makes the best paella, and prepare to hear much wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then you'll hear many excuses about exactly how and why I, neither having the privilege of a) growing up in Spain (Pep) nor b) having written a newspaper story about paella after interviewing the Spanish cooking authority Penelope Casas (Ted), managed to mop the floor with both of them in a paella cook-off when I lived in Boston several years ago. What can I say? The crowd was the judge, and the choice was clear. Of course, paella is a renowned dish for groups: In Spain, cooks will put a gargantuan paella pan over a huge fire to feed dozens. But with the right pan (I love my trusty steel crepe pan), it's easy enough to make for one, too.