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MAKES 4 SERVINGS

TIME: 40 MINUTES

THREE OR FOUR ingredients are traditional in a clambake: clams (which should be littlenecks, not steamers, to minimize sandiness and make eating easier); lobster, of which you don’t need much, about half per person; corn, an ear (or two, if it’s good) per person; sausage, which you can certainly do without if you prefer; and melted butter, which is entirely optional (and I find entirely unnecessary). If you have those things, all you need to do to mimic a real outdoor clambake, basically, is dump them in a pot, cover it, and turn on the heat. No kidding.

½ to 1 pound kielbasa (optional)

½ to 1 pound good slab bacon in 2 pieces (optional)

3 pounds hardshell clams, washed

3 pounds mussels, well washed and debearded

About 1 pound tiny new potatoes or larger waxy potatoes cut into chunks of less than 1 inch

Two 1¼- to 1½-pound lobsters

4 ears corn, shucked

Melted butter (optional)

1. Put the meat if you’re using it in the bottom of a very large pot, like a lobster pot (or divide the ingredients between 2 large pots). Add the clams and mussels, then the potatoes. Top with the lobster and corn and add ½ cup of water. Cover and turn the heat to high.

2. Cook, shaking the pot a little every few minutes, for about 20 minutes. Remove the lid and carefully (there is a danger of scalding) check one of the potatoes to see whether it is done. If not, re-cover and cook for another 10 minutes or so.

3. Put the corn, meat, and lobsters on one or more platters. Put the mollusks in a large bowl and ladle some of the cooking juices over them. Serve, if you like, with melted butter.

BOUILLABAISSE

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

TIME: 1 HOUR

BOUILLABAISSE, THE MEDITERRANEAN fish stew that is more difficult to spell than to prepare, is traditionally neither an idée fixe nor the centerpiece of a grand bouffe, but a spur-of-the-moment combination of the day’s catch. The key to bouillabaisse is a variety of good fish of different types, so use this recipe as a set of guidelines rather than strict dogma and don’t worry about duplicating the exact types or quantities of fish.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, roughly chopped

Strips of zest from 1 navel or other orange

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

Pinch of saffron threads (optional)

1 small dried chile, or a pinch of cayenne, or to taste

2 cups chopped tomatoes

½ to ¾ pound monkfish, catfish, or blackfish, cut into 1-inch cubes

1½ pounds hardshell (littleneck) clams, cockles, or mussels, well washed

½ to ¾ pound shrimp, peeled and, if you like, deveined, or scallops, cut into bite-sized pieces if necessary

½ to ¾ pound cod or other delicate white-fleshed fish, cut into 6 large chunks

1½ teaspoons minced garlic

½ cup roughly chopped fresh parsley

1. Put the olive oil in a casserole or large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the zest, fennel, saffron if you’re using it, and chile and cook for about a minute. Add the tomatoes and turn the heat to medium-high. When the mixture boils, reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture becomes saucelike, 10 to 15 minutes. (You can prepare the dish several hours in advance up to this point; cover and set aside until you’re ready to eat.)

2. Add the monkfish and raise the heat to medium-high. When the mixture begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is just about tender, 10 minutes or so.

3. Add the clams, raise the heat to high, and stir. When the mixture boils, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the clams begin to open, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the shrimp and white fish, stir, and cover; cook, stirring gently once or twice, until the white fish is just about done (a thin-bladed knife will pierce it with little resistance), about 5 minutes. (If the mixture is very thick-there should be some broth-add a cup or so of hot water.) Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in the parsley and serve, with crusty bread.

FISH