If your family had a variety of home-cooked fresh seafood on a regular basis, you probably grew up in another part of the world. Or you like to fantasize about your childhood. Or you're under 30.

No, frozen fish sticks and bottled shrimp cocktails don't count. Neither do tuna casseroles.

"As kids, many of us were exposed to poorly cooked fish at home. Some of it was so bad, it tasted like boiled wool," says Leslie Revsin, author of "Great Fish, Quick" (Doubleday, 1997, $27.50). "People will order seafood in restaurants, but many are not comfortable cooking it. And it's too bad, because it's so delicious. And so fast."

Fast, indeed. Just as quick to prepare as chicken breasts or burgers. And, according to Revsin, a great deal more interesting and versatile.

"Fish fillets and steaks, and all varieties of shellfish, offer so many textures, so many flavors and so many personalities," says Revsin, who began her culinary career in the kitchen of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, where she became its first female chef.

"Plus, there's a pleasure component with seafood. You don't have to worry if it's good for you, so you have more fun eating it."

According to Revsin, cooking times are a stumbling block for many novice seafood cooks. They're fearful of overcooking or undercooking.

"Remember to judge cooking time by thickness of the fish, not its length," Revsin says. "A piece of fish can be a foot long, but the cooking time is determined by the fact that it is, say, three-fourths-inch thick. Look at the recipe; if it says to cook it seven to 10 minutes, don't wait until 10 minutes have passed. After seven minutes, make a slit in the thickest part and have a look. If it's opaque, it's done. If it's translucent, it's not done, so put it back on the heat for one to two minutes, then have another look. It's not a mystery. Opaque is all you're looking for."

For scallops, cook just until they are medium, just barely opaque and a little springy. Revsin suggests that you squeeze their sides with your spatula to check for springiness. Raw, they're squishy and as they cook, they become more firm. Or cut one in half. Scallops should be mostly opaque, but slightly translucent in the center. They will continue to cook a little bit after they're removed from the heat. Don't overcook; they become rubbery.

And for shrimp, you want to cook them just until they're opaque. Cut one in half; it should be solid white throughout.

Whether you plan to pan-fry or grill, broil or bake, you want to start with the freshest seafood available. Choose seafood with a fresh, clean smell. It shouldn't have any unpleasant "fishy" odor. Develop reliable sources. Some supermarkets have very nice fish markets; others don't. Asian markets, fish markets and warehouse stores often have excellent fresh fish.

Look for fillets and steaks that have a moist sheen. Don't buy them if they have spaces in the flake; all fillets and steaks should be dense with no visible gapping.

Make your fish purchase your last errand and refrigerate it as soon as possible. If it's a hot day, ask the fishmonger for a bag of ice to put next to the fish.

Often, much of the fish that is available is either frozen or frozen-defrosted fillets. Some varieties freeze better than others. Revsin puts fillets in three categories based on how well they taste if they've ever been frozen: very good, can be acceptable and not so good. Perch and catfish are in the very good column, while halibut and snapper are in the "can be acceptable" column (but they have to be individually quick-frozen to be considered acceptable). Revsin doesn't like defrosted sole and cod. She says they have an unpleasant chemical taste.

Be sure to thaw frozen fish in the refrigerator and pat dry with paper towels before cooking.

Fast, flavorful and succulent are the recipe goals, so you need to start with either quick-cooking shellfish, such as shrimp or scallops, or serving-size fillets or steaks. Cook it in a flash to retain its juiciness; broil, bake, grill, saute, or steam in a foil packet.

While the fish cooks, make an easy but tangy sauce that adds gusto without taking much time to prepare. Put the two together and voila, dinner is ready in 20 to 25 minutes.

One of my weeknight specials is to plop sizzling fish or shellfish on top of mixed salad greens or cooked bitter greens, such as spinach or kale. Or nestle it on a bed of quick-cooked rice, pasta or couscous. But taste-wise, to make these one-dish dinners work, the fish or the sauce accompaniment needs to burst with flavor.

* Vinaigrettes: Tangy oil-and-vinegar mixtures can be made ahead and refrigerated up to two weeks. A drizzle or two packs a real flavor punch. Revsin suggests a pungent caper vinaigrette for adding a zesty edge to sea bass (recipe follows).

"The wonderful succulence of the sea bass is enhanced by the acidity of the vinaigrette," Revsin says. "But also try the Honey Mustard Sauce. It's delicious with scallops, shrimp and roasted salmon."

Make the Honey Mustard Sauce by combining 6 tablespoons honey mustard with 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger and 1 minced garlic clove. It can be refrigerated up to a month and can be spooned on salmon fillets before they are roasted or drizzled on sizzling shrimp or scallops.

Citrus can substitute nicely for the vinegar in vinaigrettes. Combine chopped fresh kumquats, olive oil and lots of chopped fresh chives. This makes an incredibly delicious topping for rich fish such as salmon or mahi-mahi.

* Sweet-hot blends: Sauces that combine sweet fruit and chilies create a lot of seafood flavor excitement. You can buy prepared fruit salsas or prepare my favorite, a warm sauce made with fresh papayas, roasted red bell pepper and fresh ginger. Rice vinegar, honey and dried red chilies team up to bring the flavors to their peak. It can be served with any seafood.

* Olive pastes: Often called tapenades, mixtures of chopped olives, capers, garlic, lemon juice and herbs add an astringent richness to fish.You can buy olive paste at Mediterranean markets, some supermarkets and gourmet shops, or you can make it from scratch. Spread it thinly over top of fish and bake (recipe follows).

* Versatile marinades: Revsin likes to keep her Rosemary-Garlic-Lemon Marinade on hand in her refrigerator to marinate trout, salmon, cod, snapper, bass, halibut, tuna and shark. She roughly chops 2 tablespoons of fresh rosemary leaves and whirls it in the food processor (fitted with the metal blade) along with one large clove of chopped, peeled garlic and the grated peel (zest) of 3 lemons (colored part only). Then she adds 1 cup of olive oil, plus salt and pepper to taste. It's processed again until blended. If mixture becomes too pungent after refrigeration, add more olive oil to the blend.

Or make garlic-flavored oil by cooking garlic in olive oil and scenting it with bay leaves. It can be made ahead and refrigerated up to two weeks.

Here are the mix-and-match recipes. Find a sauce you enjoy and try it on other types of seafood. Enjoy.

Fillet of Salmon in Foil Packages With Squash and Kumquats

Makes 4 servings

1 (1 1/2-pound) center-cut salmon fillet, pin bones and skin removed; see notes

salt and freshly ground white or black pepper to taste

aluminum foil, heavy-duty preferred

1/4 cup olive oil, divided use

1 large onion, chopped

1 large clove garlic, peeled and minced

2 to 3 yellow crookneck squash, trimmed and thinly sliced

7 kumquats, seeded and finely chopped; see notes

1 1/2 tablespoons sliced fresh chives

chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Notes: If you prefer, you can substitute cod or halibut for the salmon.

Finely chop the kumquats by hand. They disintegrate if you use a mini-chop or food processor.

Adjust oven rack to middle position. Fifteen minutes before baking, preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Cut salmon crosswise into 4 equal pieces. Fold under the thinner stomach flap on each piece of salmon so the salmon slice is the same thickness all the way across (this may not be necessary if the flap has been trimmed at the market).

Season to taste with salt and pepper; refrigerate until needed.

Tear 4 squares of aluminum foil, approximately 18 inches by 18 inches. Place each piece of salmon in center of a piece of foil.

In a medium, heavy-bottomed skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil on medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until nicely browned.

Add garlic and squash; cook 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt and generously with pepper.

Spoon mixture over salmon, dividing equally between the 4 servings. Seal packets, scrunching sides together, and place on jellyroll pan.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a small bowl, combine the remaining oil, kumquats and chives. Stir to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Open the packets and slide each portion onto individual plates. Spoon sauce over fish. Serve immediately.

Advance preparation: As long as all the ingredients are cold, you can assemble the packets 4 hours in advance and refrigerate.

Per serving: 440 calories, 28.2 grams fat, 4.4 grams saturated fat, 106 milligrams cholesterol, 151 milligrams sodium, 58 percent calories from fat

Chilean Sea Bass With Caper Vinaigrette, Watercress and Avocado

Makes 4 servings

1 teaspoon coarse-grain mustard

1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons drained capers, divided use

1 tablespoon caper brine

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 small clove garlic, chopped

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided use

salt and freshly ground white or black pepper to taste

4 (7-ounce) bass fillets, 1/2-3/4-inch thick, washed and dried

watercress, 1 or 2 bunches as desired

1 ripe avocado, cut in 1/2-inch dice, drizzled with 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Note: This vinaigrette has a real kick to it. If you're serving this dish to children, use half the mustard and capers.

Preheat broiler, placing rack at the top rung or about 3 inches below broiler element.

Place mustards, 1 tablespoon capers, brine, lemon juice and garlic into blender. Blend well. While machine is running, add 1/3 cup olive oil in a steady stream until the vinaigrette thickens slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Season the vinaigrette with salt and pepper; set aside. Or cover and refrigerate it for up to 2 weeks, being sure to take it out of the refrigerator to come to room temperature before using.

Dry fillets with paper towels, season with salt and pepper and rub them all over with the tablespoon of olive oil. Put them in a heavy jellyroll pan or shallow roasting pan under the broiler. Broil until lightly browned and just cooked through, about 5 minutes. To check, make a slit in the thickest part of one fillet to see if it's opaque throughout. If necessary, broil for another minute or so.

Scatter watercress over the center of 4 dinner plates. Top with a bass fillet and scatter avocado around fish. Drizzle everything with vinaigrette, garnish with remaining 2 teaspoons of capers and serve immediately.

Per serving: 500 calories, 36.5 grams fat, 5.7 grams saturated fat, 135 milligrams cholesterol, 386 milligrams sodium, 66 percent calories from fat

- From "Great Fish, Quick" by Leslie Revsin (Doubleday, 1997, $27.50)

Red Snapper Baked With Black Olive Paste

Makes 4 servings

1/3 cup pitted ripe Mediterranean olives, such as kalamata or Gaeta, pitted; see notes

1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste or chopped anchovy fillets

2 teaspoons drained capers

1 small garlic clove, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves, washed and dried, plus 4 sprigs of Italian parsley

1/4 teaspoon herbes de Provence, optional; see notes

1 to 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel (zest), colored part only

salt and freshly ground black or white pepper to taste

4 (7-ounce) red snapper fillets, about 1 1/2-inch thick

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1 tablespoon dry white wine

Notes: To pit olives, place on counter or cutting board and press the flat side of a large knife or bottom of a small skillet on top, exerting a little pressure. The olive will split open and you can pull out the pit. Or you can sometimes find pitted kalamatas.

Herbes de Provence is a dry mixture of herbs commonly used in southern France, such as marjoram, oregano, thyme, summer savory and lavender. It's sold at gourmet shops, import stores (such as Cost Plus) and some supermarkets.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place olives, anchovy paste, capers, garlic, parsley leaves and herbes de Provence (if using) in a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process, scraping down sides with rubber spatula, until finely minced. Add 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 1 tablespoon olive oil and process until mixture is a paste, about 2 minutes. If making ahead, refrigerate up to 2 weeks.

Add orange zest to olive paste. Taste and add more lemon juice if needed.

With the teaspoon of olive oil, oil a baking pan large enough to hold all the red snapper fillets comfortably in one layer. Season fish with salt and pepper. Cover the top of each fillet with 1/4 of the olive paste, spreading it in a thin layer with the back of a spoon. Grind some more fresh pepper over the olive paste. Lift the fillets with your hands or a metal spatula and place them in the prepared baking pan, olive side up. Drizzle orange juice and white wine around the fillets and put pan in oven.

Bake until they're just cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes (it may be a few minutes longer if your baking pan is a heavy one). To check, slightly separate a section of the flesh of one fillet with the corner of your metal spatula at the thickest part to see if it's white and opaque throughout. Bake 1 to 2 minutes longer if necessary.

Place snapper fillets on warm dinner plates and drizzle them with any baking juices. Garnish with parsley sprigs and serve immediately.

Per serving: 277 calories, 9.8 grams fat, 1.2 grams saturated fat, 74 milligrams cholesterol, 251 milligrams sodium, 32 percent calories from fat

- From "Great Fish, Quick" by Leslie Revsin (Doubleday, 1997, $27.50)

Pub Date: 9/16/98