Shellfish

Lightly blanched squid makes a simple and elegant salad with the tang of fish sauce and fresh lime juice.

Quinotto de Hongos y Camarones
This dish—quinoa prepared risotto-style—is so good, you'll forget it's good for you. Quinoa, whose name means "mother grain," is indigenous to Peru and dates from the time of the Inca civilization. Compared with other grains, quinoa is very high in protein and relatively low in carbohydrates. If you're pressed for time, we found a great substitute for fresh clam broth.

In this innovative use of zucchini, the vegetable adds body to the mussel-filled broth without being overpowering.

Charlotte Fekete of Athens, Georgia writes: "I'm a junior in college, and I'm planning to go to cooking school after graduation. I've already had some experience decorating cakes and working for a caterer, but it was my mom who taught me how to cook. I've also learned a lot from reading magazines and cookbooks." Charlotte's mother learned this recipe years ago, when she was working on a shrimp boat.

For a more substantial meal, the salad can be served on pumpernickel bread or toasted French bread as an open-face sandwich and topped with slices of hard-boiled egg. Garnish with lemon wedges and dill sprigs.

All of the ingredients that make gazpacho so yummy — tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, and bell peppers — turn up in this main-course salad.

Don't be surprised if you're asked for this recipe again and again — these shrimp are an absolute knockout. The bright acidity of the marinade and the crispness of fennel, celery, and onion are a delicious counterpoint to the sweetness of the shrimp.

Coconut milk ties this dish together, adding a tropical note and balancing the heat of Sriracha sauce (a Thai bottled sauce of puréed red chiles).

Delicate crabmeat gives sweetness to a light citrus sauce served on top of pasta.

Indulgence on a platter: Lobster, shrimp, scallops, and crab legs make one impressive presentation. (Ask the market to cut the lobster tails and crab legs in half lengthwise for you.) A selection of sauces adds to the party fun.

Fatty pork is the standout ingredient in these crisp spring rolls; it adds intense flavor and a tender texture to the crab and vegetable filling. Fresh ginger and a generous amount of cilantro add kick.

With authentic Asian flavor, this soup is a perfect light supper.

The citrusy dressing makes this dish a standout, and there's plenty extra to be sopped up with rice or crusty bread. Cooking shrimp in their shells keeps them juicy and tender. It all makes for casual finger food that requires plenty of napkins — which is part of the fun.

This light chowder with a subtle note of smokiness really lets the scallops shine.

They're inspired by lobster rolls, but we think you'll find these sandwiches more popular with a crowd of all ages — not to mention more affordable and easier on the cook.

This riff on traditional pasta salad gets an added layer of flavor from golden pearls of toasted couscous.

Cape Malays were the first to braise lobster in spices, which resulted in this delicious curry, for which many variations exist. Earlier writers specify tamarind juice; more recently this has been replaced by lemon juice. For a simpler recipe, use lobster tails instead of whole lobsters and omit the first step in the method.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from The Dooky Chase Cookbook by Leah Chase and are part of our story on Mardi Gras.