Scallop

A delicious twist on clam chowder, this hearty winter soup is full of tender scallops and smoky bacon.

Orzo pilaf and stewed tomatoes simmered with sliced fennel bulb are nice side dishes. Classic chocolate mousse is the perfect finish.

A shrimp and scallop pasta dish with basil and fennel.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This meal is reminiscent of one we enjoyed at the Lemon Grass Restaurant in New Orleans. Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 40 min

Here's a marinade that was inspired by the spicy food served at a favorite Connecticut restaurant of the same name. It's nice for jumbo shrimp, sea scallops and chicken. The recipe makes enough to marinate about 1 1/2 pounds of seafood or poultry. Any marinade coming in contact with raw meat, seafood or poultry must be boiled for one minute before using it for basting.

New England has a large Portuguese population. Their numbers are most concentrated in Massachusetts fishing centers, such as New Bedford, Glouchester and Providencetown, where they've had an important influence on the cuisine. One of their specialties is fried scallops, Portuguese-style--a sauté of bay scallops in butter with garlic and parsley. We've elaborated on the basic dish by adding shrimp, mushrooms, green onions and a white wine sauce. Serve it over rice, and offer buttered peas or broccoli on the side.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

"On a recent visit to Charleston, South Carolina, I was greatly taken with the grits served at the restaurant Slightly North of Broad, on East Bay Street," says Charles C. Gordon of Ontario, Canada. "Is it possible to get the recipe?"

Serve atop mashed potatoes or, for a nice twist, on a piece of toasted garlic bread.

If you can't find fresh sea scallops, use peeled large shrimp, leaving the tails on. Rice pilaf or orzo would be a good accompaniment.

This unique combination of flavors has been on the menu at Restaurant Jean Georges since its opening, and it continues to draw raves. The form of the layered scallops and cauliflower is basic but lovely, and the dark green sauce has a mysterious, mustardy flavor; few people could guess what is in it, and almost no one could imagine how simple it is.

Quick, light, delicious—a spring supper in thirty minutes, including chopping and peeling. I added a little pasta to the pan stew to give it substance. You want the scallop and pea flavors to dominate, so make sure the pasta shells are thin not thick. (Names, sizes, and thickness vary from brand to brand.)And you want shells, because they will catch the juices. You can, of course, omit the pasta if you prefer.

Serve this stew over rice or on its own as a soup. Either way, sprinkle lettuce with rice vinegar and oriental sesame oil for a light salad. Sliced blood oranges and holiday cookies will do nicely afterward.

Steamed baby yellow squash and rice pilaf studded with bits of pimiento would look pretty with the scallops. End the meal with a plate of petits fours or fancy cookies and some fresh berries.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

An appealing appetizer salad from The Great House at Villa Madeleine, St. Croix.

The simple, delicious and versatile ginger sauce would also be terrific with shrimp. Look for rice vinegar in the Asian foods section of the supermarket. Serve the scallops with crusty bread or rice.