407 shellfish recipes

Authentic crawfish etouffee builds on a dark roux with the Cajun trinity, a small army of garlic, and Louisiana crawfish tails. Smothered over rice, this is true New Orleans comfort food.

Grilled shrimp skewers drizzled with homemade basil pesto and a creamy chickpea-mint aioli, served alongside pesto-dressed new potatoes. A showpiece Italian summer plate for the grill.

Crunchy crab nuggets: hollow bread cubes brushed with butter, baked crisp, then filled with sharp cheddar and crab and baked again until hot and bubbly. A vintage party appetizer worth bringing back.

Crispy coconut-breaded shrimp with curry and cayenne heat, double-dipped in honey egg wash, deep-fried golden, and served with a fresh pineapple-orange-jicama relish. Restaurant-quality appetizer at home.

A cloud-light shrimp souffle with dry mustard, tarragon, lemon zest, and Parmesan rising tall and golden from its dish. Impressive to serve and easier to make than you'd think.

Restaurant-style Szechuan shrimp flash-fried in peanut oil and tossed in a fiery chili-hoisin sauce with ginger, garlic, and dried chilies. An authentic Chinese wok recipe with serious heat.

Butter-sauteed shrimp deglazed with white wine, served over thin pasta with a slow-simmered Provencal tomato sauce rich with basil and oregano. Worth every minute of the long, lazy simmer.

Clams in black bean sauce steamed then wok-tossed with ginger, scallions, sherry, and Szechwan chili sauce. A savory Chinese shellfish dish served over noodles or on its own.

Herb-marinated shrimp skewered on sugar cane spears, broiled and served over golden tofu with shredded daikon and balsamic vinaigrette. A stunning fusion appetizer.

The lobster in the southern part of Thailand is considered a large shrimp and is therefore called goong mang-gorn - dragon shrimp.

Steamed shrimp with garlic, soy sauce, rice wine, and scallions in a Chinese-style preparation. Butterflied shrimp topped with slow-cooked golden garlic and steamed until tender.

Coconut beer shrimp with sweet and tangy sauce: beer-battered shrimp rolled in fresh coconut, fried crisp, served with a marmalade-mustard-horseradish dip. A Gulf Coast appetizer classic.

Make-ahead crab and Swiss cheese strata layered with buttered bread, Dijon mustard, and egg custard. Assemble the night before, bake until puffed and golden for an effortless brunch.

Old-school fried crab cakes bound with just enough breadcrumbs and a single egg yolk so the sweet lump meat actually shines. Worcestershire and dry mustard sharpen the edges, served with lemon wedges and golden crisp.

Pickled shrimp marinated overnight in vinegar, olive oil, capers, jalapenos, and celery seed. A Southern-style make-ahead appetizer boiled with crab boil seasoning.

Crab cakes with tomatillo salsa bind lump crabmeat with bread and egg white for a light crust, pan-seared and topped with tangy diced tomatillo-lime salsa. Southwest-style seafood dinner.