Fish

For a nice accompaniment to the fish, try steamed baby red potatoes and a crunchy cucumber and snow pea salad. Think ahead for dessert: Grill some thick pineapple slices before you cook the salmon; after the meal, top the pineapple with tropical fruit sorbet (such as mango) and a generous splash of rum.

These five-ingredient sardine toasts make the perfect party snacks to pass around during cocktail hour.

Here is a terrific lower-fat version of the classic New Orleans dish.

Sole mousselines are a culinary classic — we added scallop to bring in a note of sweetness that perfectly balances the fresh flavor of the cucumber soup. The mousselines would also be delicious served on their own with a beurre blanc, or the purée could be spread and baked in a loaf pan and served as fish pâté. This recipe is an accompaniment for Warm Cucumber Soup with Scallop and Sole Mousselines.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 30 min

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

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.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

Osso buco is a traditional Italian dish of veal shanks simmered in a pungent tomato sauce and topped with gremolata. Ming Tsai's clever version is made with fish.

This recipe offers a prime example of cooking à la minute because the entire dish can be prepared and executed very quickly. (It also uses few enough ingredients that you could purchase all of them in the express lane of your local supermarket on the way home from work.) After sautéeing the halibut, the fish is removed from the pan, which is then deglazed with white wine and fresh lemon juice. Butter is swirled in gradually to yield a rich, flavorful sauce — punctuated by scallions, capers, and diced tomato — that is simply poured over the fish; its pleasing citric acidity and buttery richness make it a perfect foil for the halibut.

Easy, elegant fare from chef John Jones at Renato's in Palm Beach.

A creamy sauce and a trio of caviars are the "dream" of this party dish. Buy the quality and quantity of caviar that fit your budget.