Fish

The signature dish at Américas in Houston. Achiote paste adds earthy flavor and deep red color to the shrimp.

An exotic and light main course. The vinaigrette would work just as well with red snapper.

Hor Neung Pla Duk Active time: 2 hr Start to finish: 21/4 hr

Gefilte fish is one of those recipes where touch and taste are essential ingredients. A basic recipe goes this way:"You put in this and add that." If you don't want to taste the raw fish, add a bit more seasoning than you normally would. What makes this recipe Galicianer (southern Polish) is the addition of sugar. For some reason the farther south in Poland, the more sugar would be added. A Lithuanian Jew would never sweeten with sugar but might add beets to the stock. I have added ground carrot and parsnip to the fish, something that is done in the Ukraine, because I like the slightly sweet taste and rougher texture. If you want a darker broth, do not peel the onions and leave them whole.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

"I'm hoping to get the recipe for a terrific appetizer I tried at Hamiltons' at First & Main in Charlottesville, Virginia," says Sue Carter of Murieta, California. "The seafood fritters came with lettuce leaves (to wrap around the fritters) and a spicy sauce."

Roasted baby potatoes and steamed asparagus with blue-cheese dressing make appealing sides. Layer sugared sliced strawberries and whipped cream in goblets for dessert.

The créme fraîche topping melts fast, so to make the most of its fabulous taste and texture, add it just before eating.

This salad-in-a-sandwich can also be made with individual sourdough rolls. There can be many variations on this theme, so use your imagination. You might replace the tuna with grilled leftover chicken or tuck in a bit of salami, mortadella or roast beef. The sandwich is best if made at least two hours before serving.

This salmon is wrapped in rice paper, which gets very crisp when sautéed.

For more information about making pâte à choux, see If the Choux Fits...Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Cioppino is San Francisco's answer to bouillabaisse and, like that famous Provencal seafood soup, is made with a variety of the freshest fish possible. In San Francisco the mixture included Dungeness crab, which adds a unique flavor, but any regional crab will do. If crab is not available, substitute another shellfish. No clams? Try mussels. The point is to treat the following recipe as a guide and use whatever looks best in the market the day you make the soup.

Over the Fourth of July weekend in 1924, a group of unexpected guests arrived at Caesar’s Palace restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico. Running low on food, the owner, Caesar Cardini, threw together a salad with ingredients he had on hand. He made a thick dressing with a coddled egg, garlic-flavored oil, lemon juice, grated cheese and Worcestershire, which added a taste of anchovy. This dip has all the flavors of that first Caesar salad, and romaine lettuce and fresh veggies are nice “dippers.”

Here's a quick and elegant entrée for spring.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are reprinted from Andreas Viestad's book Kitchen of Light: New Scandinavian Cooking. _Viestad also shared some helpful tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page. Traditional gravlaks is made from two whole salmon fillets and flavored only with salt, sugar, dill, and pepper. If the fish is good, there is nothing better. The gravlaks found in American markets is normally very mild, sometimes slightly scented, often with dried dill. Fresh dill has a taste that is discreet and subtle; it flavors the salmon nicely without competing with the fish's own flavors. Some cookbooks suggest freezing the salmon before you prepare it, to get rid of harmful microorganisms; with modern hygienic treatment of fish, this should not be a big issue. If you do freeze it, do it after it has been cured. Some of the proteins that may be damaged when freezing fresh fish will have broken down in the cured fish, so gravlaks can stand up to freezing better than fresh salmon can. The gravlaks will keep for up to 1 week in the refrigerator. Gravlaks is normally served as one of many cold dishes in a buffet or smorgasbord. Serve with Sweet Mustard Sauce and scrambled eggs and dark rye bread for open-faced sandwiches, or with pickles and capers.