fish and seafood

Clam chowder comes in two varieties: New England and Manhattan. But what about the West Coast? Don't they deserve chowder, too? Obviously. And it comes in the form of this creamy, tangy, smoky chowder filled with hot smoked salmon, capers, cream cheese, and leeks. Bonus points if you eat it in a sourdough bread bowl.

Anchovies give this riff on traditional cheese gougères a bistro-pub feel and a bold taste. Salty, spicy and savory, these are best with a strong, hoppy beer. These are great right out of the oven or made ahead for a crowd.

We've been hosting Thanksgiving dinner for almost 40 years, and as I look back, I've noticed how our menu has changed and evolved. At first there was only turkey, but as the group grew bigger, we added a ham. Mom always brought scalloped oysters, but then as the guest list changed, this was omitted. Fruit salad was added as the grandkids came. Stuffing back then was placed in the bird. Now, since we fry the bird, the dressing is usually a simple bread, mushroom, and celery one so that the little ones can enjoy. But even back in the day, I always made an extra batch of stuffing with oysters and still do. This one will be on the table this year...

The difference between bouillabaisse and any other fish soup lies in the combination of flavors beyond the seafood stock. A hint of saffron, an accent of zested orange, and a few sliced fennel bulbs and fronds bring out an essence from the seafood that would otherwise remain hidden. While they might seem simple, omit any one of these ingredients and the depth of flavor in your bouillabaisse will lose the complexity that earned it such a vibrant reputation.

Parvin’s Tamarind-Stuffed Fish is a Persian-inspired whole fish stuffed with caramelized onions, garlic, almonds, barberries, tamarind, and fresh herbs. Baked until golden, it offers a tangy, sweet, and savory flavor perfect for special occasions.

Lower Eastern Shore Oyster Pie is a traditional Chesapeake Bay dish with a flaky rye crust filled with creamy oyster stew, flavored with garlic, onions, bay leaves, and thyme. Baked until golden, it offers rich, savory, and briny coastal flavors.

This recipe is a perfect showcase for your finest, in-season crab (Merrill likes peekytoe). And sure, you can roast your own red peppers if you like. But we made these with some good quality canned crab and jarred pimientos, and they still turned out to be fresh little bites of summer -- great news for people far from crabs, or crab season.

My friend Ann arrived this weekend with a couple of pecks of Pennsylvania peaches so this recipes involves making a quick peach pepper jam as the base of this glaze. If you have a peach pepper jam that you already love, substitute 1/4 cup in place of my jam in this recipe.

This is the perfect weeknight surf and turf entree. Bacon (or pancetta) and flaky white fish (cod, halibut, haddock, hake, for example) are opposites that attract eaters who might otherwise turn up their noses at the seafood option on offer. From the cook’s point of view, the pair is well-matched. Bacon is salty to fresh fish’s sweet tone; fat to its lean; and, crispy to its tender.

Although it's not well-known, credit should be given to Livorno's Jewish community for first showing the Tuscans how to use tomatoes in their dishes, and this classic dish is a brilliant example of how it was done. It's still a favorite of Livorno's Jewish cuisine and possibly one of the best ways you can prepare red mullet.