Shrimp

In South Louisiana, any sauce is called gravy. This dish would be our equivalent of biscuits and sausage gravy, except we've got all this seafood down here that finds its way into nearly everything. Serve this gravy over biscuits ) with Oeufs au Plat , and you've really got something. As a chef, I make this a bit more complicated than it needs to be: I start with the shrimp in the pan, then remove them so they don't overcook, and then I add them back once it's all come together.

A quick pickling gives the shrimp a bright, tangy flavor. Timing note: The shrimp need to chill in the pickling mixture for three to six hours before serving.

This Italian take on shrimp and grits comes together in just 25 minutes for a creamy, comforting dinner.

Simple grilled shrimp combined with papaya mustard becomes wondrous. The fabulous dipping sauce, which combines mustard powder for heat and Dijon-style mustard for complexity, is also wonderful over tuna, crab, or scallops. I like it on hot dogs too.

Over the years, we have probably sold more of this dish than any other item on the Bayona menu. And it all started when I stole the idea for the black bean cakes from my friend Bruce Auden, who at the time was chef at Charlie’s 517 in Houston. (He’s now chef and owner of Biga on the Banks in San Antonio.) I have no idea what his original recipe was, but the idea of black beans (which I love) in the crispy-on-the-outside-creamy-on-the-inside package was just too good to resist! I adapted a Cuban black bean recipe, added some grilled shrimp and a double-coriander sauce (using both the seeds and leaves). I’m guessing I’ve served over 150,000 of these babies in the last twenty years. This dish will come together much more quickly if you prepare the black bean cakes the night or morning before you plan to serve them.

This dish is a true Southern delight, our riff on Louisiana-style spicy shrimp combined with cheesy grits just the way we make ’em at The Lady & Sons. It’s amazing how easy this is to whip up. Make it for your family, and they’ll swear you spent all day tied to the stove.

If you’ve been to Savannah, or if you live here (hey, neighbor!), then you know that we’re one shrimp-crazy city. We like shrimp so well we are happy just boiling them up and eating them out of their shells. But every once in a while, we do something a little more substantial for dinner, like this Cajun-flavored dish, which goes great with our colorful Broccoli and Red Pepper Salad (page 109).

I love the taste of buttery corn bread and the texture of the filling and the topping. This is a great dish to eat with soup spoons. For an attractive presentation, spoon generous portions into pretty rimmed soup bowls, or bake in individual casserole dishes or crocks. To save time, make the Creole Filling a day ahead (see Note).

Crisp chayote goes by a raft of different names, but its Brazilian one, xuxu, was the inspiration for this quick stir-fry. The dish's vivid good looks echo its primal shout of flavor. After the shrimp, xuxu, and hearts of palm are cooked, they're tossed with a raw sauce of garlic, onion, jalapeño, and lots of lemon juice, which keeps everything sparkling and very fresh-tasting.

Singapore-style noodles are a favorite in Chinese-American restaurants and are traditionally made using leftover Cantonese roast pork. The dish is lightly seasoned with Indian curry powder, giving the thin rice noodles a beautiful yellow hue. The curry flavor explains the dish's name: Singapore cooking exhibits a significant Indian influence. Stir-fried with small shrimp and peas, this colorful dish can be made ahead of time and very successfully reheated. Cantonese roast pork can be found in Chinese markets. You'll recognize the long and thick reddish-golden meat strips hanging in the window to entice passersby.

Shrimp cocktail quickly becomes much more than a classic first course when you give it some Latin flair. Try tossing lime juice, cilantro, piquant adobo sauce, and creamy avocado into the mix.

The ideal summer dinner—without the labor required for the traditional Spanish version.

This fun assortment of flavorful nibbles is ideal for summer entertaining. End the meal with frozen yogurt or a fruit salad of halved fresh cherries and pieces of watermelon.

This velvety soup has no cream except for the little bit of sour cream that's spooned on top. It's perfect for summer entertaining: All of the components can be prepared a day ahead.

Hot-wing aficionados will flip for these grilled shrimp, seasoned with hot sauce and butter. Celery and homemade blue cheese dip are delicious accompaniments.