GOOD COOKING / ABBY MANDEL : Mussels on the Barbie

Nothing is faster than grilling mussels. It takes two to three minutes over a hot fire. And nothing is much more beckoning (and exotic) than a bowl of mussels sitting at everyone’s place. Serve them with the sort of garlic herb sauce typically reserved for escargots.

Luckily, farmed mussels (the ones you’re most likely to find today) don’t require the same careful preparation as those that are harvested from the ocean. Farm-raised mussels are much easier to clean; there are few beards to pull off and little sand to rinse out.

Fried orzo loaded with vegetables and basil--served hot, at room temperature or as a salad--is an excellent accompaniment and quick too. A crusty loaf of bread (to dip in the butter) and a bottle of chilled white wine make this a completely pleasurable meal.

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Grilled Mussels With Garlicky Herb Sauce

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 20 minutes plus 30 minutes soaking time

Small mussels can fall between the grill grates unless you have a basket to hold them. If you’re going to dip bread in the sauce as well as the mussels, you may want to increase the sauce.

3 pounds large mussels, soaked in salted cold water 30 minutes, drained, rinsed

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon minced shallot

3/4 cup clarified butter

2 tablespoons dry white wine

1/2 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup minced parsley

* Pull off any beards from mussels; refrigerate until ready to grill.

* Combine garlic, shallot, butter, wine, salt and pepper to taste in small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat until butter is simmering, about 5 minutes. Stir in parsley. Adjust seasonings and keep warm.

* Put mussels on hot grill in single layer. Cover and cook until shells open, about 2 to 3 minutes; discard any mussels with unopened shells. Divide evenly among 4 bowls. Pour hot herb sauce into 4 small dishes. Serve mussels immediately with sauce for dipping.

4 servings. Each serving: 373 calories; 844 mg sodium; 112 mg cholesterol; 36 grams fat; 4 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams protein; 0.11 gram fiber.

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Fried Orzo With Vegetables and Basil

Active Work Time: 20 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 30 minutes * Easy

Orzo--a rice-shaped pasta--holds up as well as rice when cooked in advance.

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 onions, cut into 3/4-inch-dice (about 2 cups)

1 cup orzo, cooked al dente according to package directions and rinsed, about 2 cups cooked

1 large zucchini, cut in 3/4-inch-dice (about 2 cups)

1 red bell pepper, cut in 3/4-inch-dice

Kernels from 2 ears corn, about 1 1/2 cups

1 teaspoon lime juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

Dried red pepper flakes

3 tablespoons thinly sliced basil leaves

* Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until softened, stirring often, about 2 minutes. Add orzo, stirring until hot, about 2 minutes. Add zucchini, bell pepper, corn kernels, lime juice, salt and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring often, until zucchini is tender but still slightly firm, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in basil. Adjust seasonings. Serve hot or at room temperature.

4 servings. Each serving: 255 calories; 308 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 8 grams fat; 41 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams protein; 1.27 grams fiber.

Plate from the Dish Factory Inc., Los Angeles and Colton.