Seafood

Mussels, halibut and shrimp flavored with chicken broth and white wine makes an outstanding fish soup that’s ready from the start in 30 minutes.

Want to impress your guests? Then whip up a batch of these delectable puff-pastry wrapped shrimp stuffed with a mix of cheese, bacon and parsley. They’re superb!

Give Swiss chard a flavor boost by adding whole chopped lemon instead of just the juice. Simmering it first softens the texture and bitter undertones. Serve this dish with Red Quinoa with Pistachios .

Want to build big flavor fast? Jarred marinara gives you a head start. Be sure to doctor it a bit for a homemade taste. Here we use fennel seeds and sliced fennel to serve with flounder.

NVA: Mangoes originated in India, but today they are loved in cuisines all over the world. The Sanskrit word for mango is amra, meaning "of the people." I think barbecue means "of the people" in America so I have united them here. Justin and I demonstrate this dish at mango festivals from time to time. The bonus: We always bring a bowl of it premade so that the guests can have a taste. That means the batch we make up on stage comes home. You'll be left with half of the BBQ sauce from this recipe, but you'll be pleased as you can use it on any kind of thing in the world that you might barbecue. It is outrageously good on a burger.

I adore the kick that wasabi gives to anything in its path. Get it in powder form and add slowly to dressings or mayonnaise, or if anyone you know goes to Japan, get them to bring you back the toxic green stuff in a tube.

Sake-infused flounder fillets cook over a bed of pan-seared bok choy in this simple, one-skillet dinner.

The subtle seasonings in this simple stew won't overwhelm the delicate lobster meat.

This recipe works best with medium to large oysters. Have your fishmonger shuck them for you.

Forty-five minutes is all the time you’ll need to make this hearty, creamy chowder with bacon, salmon, and corn. A family-pleasing favorite for a winter night, the recipe also holds up to health-conscious variations. Sub in turkey bacon and low-fat milk, or swap in yams for the red potatoes for an extra dose of beta-carotene.

Forget going out for dinner, this sea bass is dressed to impress in less than 20 minutes. The sauce begs to be scooped up, so be sure to serve this dish with fluffy basmati rice. Sauté snow peas or green beans in sesame oil and serve them alongside. And by all means, invite friends, as this dish can easily be doubled. (Most halibut, trout, salmon, cod, or tuna can take the place of the sea bass, so buy whatever is freshest and avoid the endangered Chilean sea bass.)

While some recipes require elaborate introductions justifying particular flavor combinations, the creation from Epicurious member Sarah Perl of Brooklyn, New York, needs little justification as it eventually won her a husband. Perl also praises the dish for its versatility: “It’s simple enough for a weeknight dinner and special enough for a dinner party.” So, choose a fresh fish fillet and serve up this dish in the name of romance.

The smoky flavor of the fish combined with a sweet maple sauce and mustardy potatoes adds up to a rustic fall meal that will win raves. Inspired by the open-fire plank-cooking techniques of northwest Native American cultures, this nontraditional version uses the oven instead of the grill. Be sure to presoak the plank overnight to prevent flare-ups, and if you don’t have a plank, fear not: many Epi members report great success simply roasting the salmon in a pan with the glaze.

No trip to South Carolina’s Low-Country is complete without a nibble of the region’s famed shrimp and grits. This recipe, from the Boathouse in Charleston, South Carolina, uses smoked andouille sausage and green hot pepper sauce to provide the essential kick, while a generous cup of whipping cream mellows the heat and smoothes the grits. Serve this for a casual dinner party, or use it to liven up a midweek meal. Epicurious members also serve this with pasta or polenta.

At the end of a long day, this quick seafood dish and a glass of Chardonnay will get you on your merry way toward a relaxing evening. A quick sear is all that meaty sea scallops require, and cooking them in butter creates a nutty, slightly toasted crust. Beurre blanc may be classically French, but it’s also undeniably easy. This tarragon-infused version makes a luscious, slightly anise-flavored blanket for the scallops, which would be cozy atop a bed of sautéed baby spinach.

After many rounds of tweaking and perfecting, Epicurious member Robert Belden landed on a quick and easy formula for creamy and comforting Alfredo sauce. Although bathing fresh shrimp in a velvety blanket of cream and butter is a pairing that Belden says “is tough to beat,” he admits to occasionally substituting seared scallops or grilled chicken for the shrimp. Alongside crisp homemade garlic bread, this pasta dish makes a satisfying dinner to share with a friend or keep all to yourself.

If you believe that frying makes everything taste better, get the oil ready, because after popping one of these hush puppies into your mouth, you’ll quickly need countless more. Creole mustard, a Louisiana specialty, may not be readily available at your local market, but you can substitute whole-grain Dijon mustard. Having a deep-fry thermometer will make the frying process easier, as oil that’s not hot enough will lead to greasy and soggy fritters. And to keep the oil temperature from dropping too much, cook the hush puppies in small batches as directed.

This lightly fried, fleshy white fish paired with crisp bacon and cauliflower is surprisingly hearty. Cream of Wheat gives the rice-flour crust an airy texture that won’t drown the fish, and the bacon drippings infuse the cauliflower with a smoky flavor. To cut the fat, drain the drippings and sauté the vegetables in olive oil instead. Dover sole is a suitable flat-fish substitute.

A traditional Spanish romesco sauce calls for almonds, but in this recipe hazelnuts spruce up simple halibut fillets. The sauce freezes well and also partners with chicken, steak, or pasta. For a more budget-friendly dish, substitute tilapia. You can also swap roasted red peppers for the piquillos and use whatever nuts you happen to have in the pantry.

Looking for a fast, inexpensive, and tempting weeknight meal? Epicurious member Leah Hook of Reading, Massachusetts, has a fish dish that’s just the ticket. The breaded tilapia fillets are quickly seared in a hot pan, and then drenched in a sauce made from orange juice and sriracha sauce and served over brown rice. “Don’t stress about whether the flour sticks evenly to the tilapia,” Hook says. “The idea is that some flour will stick on some parts of the fillet, and those parts will soak up the tasty sauce.”