The first time I tasted New Orleans-style barbecue shrimp, I was confused. It had none of the smoky char associated with food off a grill or smoker. And that’s because it’s not actually barbecue.

It can feel fussy, expensive, or easy to mess up—but it doesn’t have to be. With the right recipes, seafood can be just as ...

Every major city seems to claim a sandwich as its own: Chicago with Italian beef sandwiches, New York with pastrami on rye, Buffalo with beef on weck, Philadelphia with cheesesteaks. New Orleans, a ...