Italian Shrimp Scampi by Nancy Miyasaki

This is an easy recipe that you can prepare in advance and bake right before dinner. It's truly delicious, if not exactly low fat. Make sure to give it a squeeze of fresh lemon just before serving!

Spicy Shrimp on Spinach by John Spottiswood

We made this as one of the dishes at our annual stay at the Koehler Winery near in Los Olivos near Santa Barbara. Everything we made was delicious, but this might have been my favorite. We served it as an appetizer, and everyone raved about it. It was extremely easy and quick and the presentation was beautiful. I made this with a…

St. Patrick's Day Salmon with Leeks by John Spottiswood

This recipe was also adapted from Margaret Johnson, a great Irish American author and chef. The flavor of the leeks and salmon together is just amazing. And it's a really easy dish. A complete winner!

Mediterranean Filet of Sole by John Spottiswood

Dover Sole was on sale at the local supermarket, and I felt inspired to try an recreate some of the simple, delicious flat fish dishes while traveling through the Greek Islands. Everyone raved about the outcome. This will take you to Mikonos...whether you've been there before or not!

Classic Cioppino by John Spottiswood

This is a traditional Cioppino base recipe for you to play with. Cioppino is a simple and hearty fish stew originally cooked by Italian fisherman on the California coast. Don't worry too much about what sort of fish or shellfish you put in it. Just keep it simple with these basic ingredients. The easier the better...so you'll be…

Baccalà alla napoletana by Frank Fariello

Baccalà, or salted codfish, marries especially well with tomatoes, and the marriage reaches its apogee of deliciousness in the summer, when tomatoes are at their best. And who does tomatoes better than the people of Campania, home to Italy's best tomatoes? Baccala alla napoletana, Naples-style codfish, is a simple dish of bold…

Filetti di pesce all'acqua pazza by Frank Fariello

Acqua pazza, or 'crazy water' is the humorous term for an extremely easy, but tasty way to poach fish--or, more specifically, to the poaching liquid.

Pasta with Cauliflower and Anchovy Sauce by Nancy Miyasaki

This is a wonderful, mild flavored pasta we've adapted from Marcella Hazan. I know it sounds like an odd combination of ingredients, but you should definitely try it. It's unlike any pasta you have likely eaten before, and it is quite tasty. We will definitely make it again. Serve with the roasted broccoli below for a nice…

Tuscan shrimp marinara with chickpea pasta by John Spottiswood

This is a great Tuscan recipe adapted from the Flavors of Tuscan cookbook by Maxine Clark. Maxine recommends making fresh chickpea pasta. We use Barilla Plus pasta, which is made with chickpeas just like Maxine recommends. By skipping making your own pasta, this becomes a very easy and healthy dish.

Shrimp in Green Garlic Sauce by John Spottiswood

Wow, this is a really powerful and delicious dish. If you are looking for subtle flavors, search elsewhere. But if you're in the mood for a garlicky, "must dip my bread in every last bit of that sauce", type of dish, you cannot beat this. I'll admit our kids are not normal, but all four of them downed these shrimp and were dipping…

Grilled Tuna Steaks over Arugula Salad by John Spottiswood

I adapted this recipe from one in Cook's Illustrated and served it during a trip to San Luis Obispo with friends. The vinaigrette was fantastic and the technique for marinating the fennel bulb slices in the vinaigrette to soften it is definitely a keeper. You could try this with just about any fish with good results I think. I…

Greek Fish Soup Avgolemono by John Spottiswood

The Greeks supposedly invented fish stew and there are many versions of the dish. This version, which I adapted from a recipe in the Frugal Gourmet's Three Ancient Cuisines (a great book), is really phenomenal. We served this during a holiday party with greek salad and spanakopita. Friends of mine who have made regular chicken…

Scallops in Scallion Nests by John Spottiswood

This is an attractive, flavorful dish, ideal as the first course for an elegant dinner. The scallions, which are cooked briefly in boiling water and served with a mustard sauce, are fantastic. I adapted this recipe from Jacques Pepin. While I loved the presentation, and everyone at our dinner party seemed to enjoy it, I wasn't…

Baccalà alla vicentina by Frank Fariello

Baccalà, or dried salt cod, is a favorite meal around our house, even if it only appears occasionally on the dinner table. One of the most delicious ways to make baccalà has got to be in the style of Vicenza, alla vicentina: slowly braised in milk flavored with a savory soffritto of garlic, onions and anchovies.

Seafood Paella by Debi Shawcross