Shellfish

Try not to pack the crab mixture too tightly; you want these to just hold their shape so they fry up light and airy. And remember: Crab cakes are only as good as the crab you use; buy the best you can afford.

This seafood paella recipe requires organization and slicing and dicing in advance. But once the paella gets going, the process is pretty seamless—and the rewards are huge.

Sure, you can make these satisfying wok-fried noodles from chef Kris Yenbamroong without a wok. Just get your skillet super hot. 

Play around with different herbs in this lobster salad recipe, such as parsley or mint, and other citrus, like grapefruit in place of orange.

The staff at Rappahannock Oyster Bar get a thrill from seeing customers savor every bite.

You should totally DIY your cocktail hour. All you need is some meat, some cheese, and some oysters.

Can’t find dried shrimp? Straight up Old Bay and some salt will capture that “down the shore” vibe we’re after.

Weeknight chowder? Use clam juice. Weekend? It’s worth making fish stock from scratch.

No nduja? Just add an extra glug of olive oil along with some red pepper flakes.

Spicy, citrusy weeknight noodles from Pêche chef, Donald Link.

Don't be scared of octopus. You can totally cook it at home.

A Korean stew made with an earthy red chile stock and delicate curds of silky tofu, sundubu is traditionally served in preheated stone bowls. You can re-create that effect by heating a stone bowl or a cast-iron pot in a 400° oven.

Fair to say we're pretty much obsessed with this nut-based (egg-free!) aioli. Try it with walnuts, too.

Braising octopus might sound advanced, but it’s as easy as simmering a pot of beans.

Kachka chef Bonnie Morales insists it’s not a Russian party without this retro seafood salad on the table.

Crunchy shrimp (thanks for the help, cornstarch!) gets its zesty, floral heat from Sichuan peppercorns. It's hard to believe that a main course this complex comes together so quickly.

Despite the name, spaghetti squash is still a vegetable and can get mushy when overcooked. Simply ladle the hot broth over the noodles when you are ready to eat.

If you like stuffing with smoked oysters, you’ll like it even more with tart lemons on top.

When it comes to cooking or preparing oysters, there are a lot of rules—make sure you're not breaking any with this rundown of the most common mistakes

Cooking the shrimp off the heat will allow them to poach gently, preventing overcooking.

A fun first course to serve to guests in the kitchen. By the time one batch has been devoured, the next one will be coming out of the fryer.

From tacos to stews to sandwiches, here are 11 oyster recipes that go beyond the raw bar.

The more chiles you use, the closer you’ll come to the tear-inducing flavor of the dish as it’s served at Thai-Khun.

Hot Joy chef Quealy Watson, who’s from Louisiana, grew up on his mom’s dirty rice; that dish helped inspire this bastardized fried version. The chicken-liver base tastes very concentrated and intense on its own, but becomes nicely balanced in the finished dish. Watch the step-by-step video here.