Another classic Cantonese dish. You may think it gilding the lily to add the sweet-tasting oyster sauce to the inherently sweet scallops, but your palate will be delighted with the result.

A Cantonese fire pot reflects what’s easily available in the region, and it therefore consists of seafood as well as meat and vegetables. If you don’t have a traditional charcoal-burning fire pot for cooking at the table, use a fondue set or heatproof bowl and burner or an electric pot.

Dried scallops used to be relatively cheap in China and Dried scallop soup was the poor man’s Shark’s fin soup. However, times have changed, and this soup, with its contrast in texture between the tender scallops and the crisp bamboo shoots, is now one of the most sought-after first courses, second only to Shark’s fin and Bird’s nest soups.

Mushrooms play a starring role in our kitchen during the autumn months.We look for specialty varieties, such as floppy-brimmed shiitakes, trumpet-shaped chanterelles, and feathery-looking hen of the woods. I like to use a combination of wild mushrooms in this bisque. It makes an appealing first course for an elegant Thanksgiving or Christmas meal.

If you’re tempted to walk up to a seafood counter and pick out one thing from each display, try this stew. A take-off on French bouillabaisse, it combines six kinds of seafood in a tomato and saffron-enhanced broth. There’s not any racy story behind its name. I was just trying to emphasize its robustness.

A Cantonese dish at its simplest and best. The fresh scallops are steamed with just a touch of garlic, then served with a sauce to add zest to their natural sweetness. The details of preparation, seemingly elaborate, are nevertheless worth observing if you wish to make this simple yet sophisticated dish.