As Peter and I start to turn our thoughts toward the trek south to our new winter home in Hobe Sound, the spreadsheets are printed off (I am married to a geek!) and bins stored in the loft are brought into the garages ready for filling.

The menu for the last few weeks we are in Maine is simple: seafood, seafood, seafood and more seafood. I do not think I will ever love warm water fish and yes, I’ve tried valiantly to like grouper, yellowtail, lemon shark and dolphin (the fish not the mammal).

I’ve deep fried, pan sautéed, broiled, grilled, poached, and baked all of the above and am left longing for haddock. I will say that I love the gulf shrimp we get in Florida but that’s about it. So seafood is on the menu from now until we hit the road.

Provencal fish stew

If your tomatoes seem a bit acidic, a pinch of sugar will round out the flavor.

• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes, drained
• 2 bay leaves
• 3/4 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
• 1/4 tsp. dried tarragon
• 1/4 tsp. dried marjoram
• 1/4 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 1-1/2 lbs. haddock (or cod) fillets cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces
• 1-1/2 Tbsp. capers, rinsed and drained
• 2 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat olive oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add tomatoes, bay leaves, oregano, fennel, tarragon, marjoram, thyme, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Stir in wine; cover and simmer 5 minutes.

Add haddock and capers; cover and sim­mer another 5 minutes. Check for seasoning and add more salt and pepper to taste if desired. Add sugar if necessary.

Ladle stew into 4 bowls; garnish with Parmesan cheese. Yield: 4 servings.

Shrimp fettuccine with spinach and parmesan

Penne or linguine also work well with this dish.

• 8 oz. fettuccine, cooked according to package directions
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced thinly
• 10 oz. Maine shrimp, peeled
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 6 oz. fresh baby spinach
• 1 cup shaved Parmesan cheese

Drain pasta and keep warm. Combine butter and olive oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Remove garlic from pan with a slotted spoon; place in a small bowl. Increase heat to medium-high. Add shrimp, salt, and pepper and cook 2-3 minutes or until shrimp are pink and cooked through, stirring occasionally. Add pasta, spinach, and reserved garlic to pan; cook 1 minute or until spinach wilts, tossing to coat. Sprinkle with cheese. Yield: 4 servings.

Lobster-stuffed potatoes

This is one of my favorite recipes for a summer lunch for guests. The potato was on the menu for many years at the now defunct “Windows on the Water” restaurant in Kennebunkport and I was lucky enough to get the recipe from the chef. Served with a green salad it makes a luscious lunch or light supper.

• 4 large baking potatoes
• 4 Tbsp. butter
• 3 Tbsp. finely minced white onion
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 lb. cooked lobster meat, cut into 1 inch chunks
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup grated Jarlsberg cheese
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 green onions, chopped

Wash potatoes and prick potatoes; bake in a preheated 400 F oven for 1 hour or until tender. When cool enough to handle, slice about 1/4-inch off the top (lengthwise) and carefully scrape potato out, leaving a little to keep potato skin intact. Place potato pulp in a medium bowl and set aside, reserving potato shells. Melt butter in a skillet set over medium high heat; add onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add white wine and lobster and simmer for 4-5 minutes or until wine is completely reduced. Remove pan from heat. Add sour cream and heavy cream to potato pulp and mash until creamy. Add cheese, onion/lobster mixture and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Fill reserved potato s hells with lobster/potato mixture. Bake in a preheated 400 F oven for 8-10 minutes or until hot. Sprinkle with green onions and serve at once. Yield: 4 servings.

Firecracker salmon

This salmon is wonderful done on the grill but you can also do it under your oven’s broiler.

• 4 lbs. salmon fillets, rinsed, patted dry and divided into 8 portions (skin on)

For the marinade:

• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. minced fresh gingerroot
• 1 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

To prepare the marinade: Combine vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, ginger, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Pour marinade into a gallon plastic zippy bag. Add salmon fillets and close bag. Turn bag several times to coat the fish and then place in refrigerator for 3 hours, turning bag few times.

To cook salmon: Remove from marinade and place salmon skin side down on broiler pan. Broil 4 inches from heat for 5-6 minutes per side. Yield: 8 servings.

Baked stuffed fillet of sole

You can substitute scrod, flounder or thin fillets of haddock for the sole. If the fish you are using is too thick to roll, put the stuffing on the bottom of individual au gratin dishes and top with a piece of fish, covering as much of the stuffing as possible. Pour the sauce over and bake as usual, decreasing the baking time by about 5 minutes.

• 8 pieces fillet of sole

For the stuffing:

• 4 Tbsp. butter
• 1/4 cup finely diced onion
• 1 can (3-oz.) broiled chopped mushrooms, juice reserved (such as B in B)
• 6 oz. fresh crabmeat
• 2/3 cup crushed Saltine cracker crumbs
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce:

• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 3 Tbsp. all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt

• Milk

• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
• 1/2 tsp. paprika

To prepare the stuffing: Melt butter in a large skillet set over medium high heat. Add onion and cook 4-5 minutes or until tender but not brown. Remove from heat. Gently stir drained mushrooms into skillet with crabmeat; add cracker crumbs, parsley, salt and pepper. Spread mixture over fillets and roll up securing with wooden pick if necessary. Place seam side down in a 12 by 7-inch baking dish coated with non-stick spray.

To prepare the sauce: Melt butter in a medium saucepan set over medium low heat. When frothy, whisk in flour and salt. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Add enough milk to the reserved mushroom liquid to make 1-1/2 cups total liquid. Slowly whisk milk mixture into flour/butter mixture. Cook and stir with wire whisk increasing heat to medium high; add wine and continue cooking for another minute or 2 or until mixture thickens. Pour over prepared fillets and bake in a preheated 400 F oven for 18 minutes; sprinkle top of fish with grated Swiss cheese and paprika and continue baking for another 10 minutes or until fish is cooked through and flakes easily. Yield: 4 servings.