Escarole has broad, flat leaves and is less bitter then other members of the endive family. Despite the difference in appearance, it resembles radicchio in taste. *VARIATION* Sea Bass, Salmon or Tilapia can easily be substitute for halibut. The same 8 minutes per inch of thickness cooking time would be applied

In the summertime, I like a bowl of spaghetti with clams for dinner. And I like the clams to bathe in a sauce of olive oil, parsley, enough garlic and red pepper flakes to get your attention, and a dousing of lemon juice so the flavors feel crisp. I also added slivers of preserved lemon, which grant the sauce the powerful fragrance of lemons, but barely a drop of juice -- think of it as lemon squared.

Up in Maine, we're lucky to have access to all sorts of great local seafood. While Maine lobster tends to get the most press, my family is pretty addicted to Peekytoe -- also known as bay, or rock -- crab, which is actually a by-product of the lobster fishing industry (they get caught in the traps). We regularly have the "toasties" below for lunch, out on the front porch overlooking the ocean. They're nothing fancy, but that's mainly because we know better than to mess too much with the crabmeat, which is best left to shine on its own.

We love Caesar Salad around here and make it frequently, especially during the Summer, either as a side or boosted with a little something extra as a complete meal. This one can be either. I like to put some of the ingredients in separate bowls so that we can actually make our own for our individual tastes. This version pairs creamy avocado with briny anchovies, Parmesan, crispy croutons and of course, romaine lettuce!

Every cook has dishes that she orders when in a restaurant but never makes at home. Let's call these barrier recipes. In the spirit of trying to get past my barrier recipes -- which usually involve shellfish or a grill -- I've recreated the squid salad that I order every time we go to Motorino. I grilled the squid to give it a little char and then tumbled it together with whole parsley leaves, slices of boiled potato, some capers, red pepper flakes, and a dousing of lemon. It took 10 minutes. And I felt pretty dumb for not tackling this sooner. Watch out clams: I'm coming after you next!

I've had many lobster roll cravings- there's something about the sweet, tender lobster meat in the warm, buttery roll that gets me every time. Now I know that there's a lot of debate as to what the best lobster roll recipe is. Some purists simply put steamed lobster in a buttered, toasted bun with no mayonnaise or other accoutrements. I however, prefer my lobster rolls with a light coating of lemony mayonnaise, some finely chopped celery for crunch and Boston lettuce to keep the bun from getting soggy.

I love making big batches of soup on the weekend and saving the leftovers for work lunches all week. For dinner, I'll ladle this corn soup into a shallow bowl and float a few seared scallops on top. Then I'll enjoy the rest of the soup with a hunk of bread for lunch. The briny scallops make a great pairing with the sweet corn and spicy jalapeño.

A simple but elegant preparation, this recipe comes from Mac's Seafood on Cape Cod. Serve it over sautéed vegetables, mashed potatoes, creamed spinach, or grains—the buttery, crisp fish works in any season with any side.

A comforting soup that puts you in the mood for a summer night at the sea. Hearty enough for a meal, but best served with crusty garlic bread.