Halibut

Despite its name, the "hot ajvar" called for in this recipe from Zov Karamardian, of Zovs Bistro and Bakery in Tustin, California, is fairly mild. If you cant find ajvar, a substitute can be made by pureeing a seven-ounce can of drained roasted bell peppers with two tablespoons of tomato paste and two tablespoons of purchased chili-garlic sauce, which is available at most supermarkets.

A simple corn and cornmeal topping makes these halibut fillets a party entrée.

Whether they feature shellfish, smoked fish or fresh fish, chowders are an essential part of New England cooking. Ours is prepared with a mixture of fresh cod, haddock and halibut, three important North Atlantic ocean varieties. We've made the surprising addition of butternut squash and kale--both popular regional vegetables--to this hearty soup for extra color and texture. Curry powder lends an unexpected bit of spice.

Delicious with orzo or rice.

The flavorful olive salad is also nice with sea bass, red snapper or tuna. Serve with steamed new potatoes, and uncork a Sauvignon Blanc to go with dinner.

Active time: 1 3/4 hr Start to finish: 4 1/4 hr (includes making stock and rouille)

If you prefer to present these halibut steaks with additional grill marks (as in the photo), you can grill the skin sides for about 1 minute each before grilling flesh.

Portobellos make this simple dish shine. It's from Alfred Portale's 12 Seasons Cookbook written with Andrew Friedman (Broadway Books). Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 45 min

These steaks are delicious served with creamed spinach and roasted new potatoes.

The halibut is delicious with sautéed green beans and steamed new potatoes. End with espresso granita or ice cream with grappa.

The bouquet garni for this stew includes orange peel (use a vegetable peeler to make wide strips) and some of the wispy fronds from the top of the fennel bulb that goes into the soup.

The inspiration for this entrée comes from the Bengal delta, where fish is the food of choice. The area is also known for its use of nigella (black onion) seeds and fenugreek seeds, which are sold at Indian markets.

We adapted this recipe from Big Bowl Noodles and Rice, by Bruce Cost with Matt McMillin (HarperCollins). Cost likes to stuff dried black Asian"flower" mushrooms. Because these can be expensive and hard to find, we asked if we could try fresh shiitake mushrooms instead. Cost agreed, and we loved the results. Look for shiitakes with caps that have rounded edges to better hold the stuffing. Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

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.