SEAFOOD APPETIZERS

SEAFOOD MAKES A LIGHT, REFRESHING APPETIZER. The recipes that follow either start with smoked fish (salmon or trout) or call for cooking the seafood in some fashion.

Raw seafood, however, is often so simple to serve that you don't really need a recipe. Clams on the half shell are delicious on their own or with a dollop of cocktail sauce. Choose either littlenecks or cherrystones (the latter are larger) for shucking. Oysters, which can be served like clams, are a bit more complicated to buy. There are five main species and hundreds of varieties, usually named for the places where the oysters are found. Buy oysters from a reputable source and taste several kinds to figure out whether you prefer crisp, briny Atlantic oysters from northern waters; softer, flabbier Atlantic oysters from the Gulf; fruity, sweet Pacific oysters; briny and metallic-tasting European or flat oysters; or briny but sweet Kumamotos.

Clams, oysters, and mussels can also be grilled just until they open (5 to 10 minutes depending on their size). Once the bivalves open, serve with lemon wedges, barbecue sauce, or a little hot sauce.