Shellfish

Time: 30 to 40 Minutes No doubt shrimp with cocktail sauce is a luxury dish, but it has sunk to the point where too frequently it means a pile of shrimp cooked days in advance, served on a bed of iceberg lettuce with some bottled sauce that always needs more help than it ever receives. There is a better way, however. Cook the shrimp yourself; in the meantime, prepare a simple ketchup-based sauce that has so much flavor, you'll find it becoming a part of your standard repertoire.

Grilled zucchini adds extra flavor and texture to this light and pretty main course.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This makes a delicious luncheon entrée with a salad.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Crisp baby radishes, blanched snow peas and mini rice cakes make a light starter. The salad tastes even better with cold Asian beer to wash it down. For dessert, crumble coconut macaroons over orange sorbet. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

For the opener, spread butter and prepared horseradish on thin baguette rounds, and top them with bay shrimp. Boil small red potatoes and green beans to have alongside the seafood.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This starter gets a double dose of cayenne — in the cornmeal coating for the shrimp and in the garlicky mayonnaise dip.

Serve with rice for an easy party dish.

Janet and Travis Kuhl of Cranford, New Jersey, writes: "We recently went to chef Ming Tsai's Blue Ginger restaurant in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Our entire meal was top-notch, but the shrimp cocktail was our favorite." Poured carefully side by side into a cocktail glass, tomato puree and avocado puree make a colorful dip for the lightly battered and quickly deep-fried shrimp.