HAVE PAN, WILL TRAVEL : For some people, staying home is better than going out. That’s because they have cooks. These are a few of those cooks. Their stories and--their recipes--begin on H11. : Keeping the Boss Happy by Keeping It Simple

Bruce Brinsin has worked in restaurants as both a waiter and a line cook, and he’s studied cooking in Italy. But when Brinsin went to work for Silvia Davidson at her home in Beverly Hills as a full-time cook and cleaning person, he received his first bad reviews. His pasta may have been technically perfect, but it wasn’t done the way Davidson liked it.

“At first I was hurt when Silvia would criticize my cooking,” Brinsin says. “But once we adapted to one another’s ideas, she began to trust my choice of the menu completely.”

These days, when Davidson sits down to dinner--usually with Brinsin--she thanks her lucky stars.

His cooking is simple by choice. “Neither one of us likes heavily sauced foods,” he says. “And, much as we both enjoy pasta, we prefer fish.”

Brinsin has a food and cleaning-supply budget of $100 a week, with which he must feed Davidson--and her guests. He stretches this with coupons and shops around for good buys at the supermarket. He also cuts costs by using fresh produce from Davidson’s back yard. “We’re lucky to have a beautiful garden,” he says. “We get persimmons, gooseberries, kumquats, oranges, tangerines and lettuce. Using garden products allows us to eat in a healthful and economical way.”

Simple grilling is standard for Brinsin, but a light fish saute, such as the shrimp and scallop dish given here, is also part of the repertoire.

With the shrimp dish, Brinsin might serve a green salad with Italian dressing, or a fresh fruit salad with lemon and honey-poppyseed dressing, and warm dinner rolls. For dessert, stewed kumquats from the garden are served over ice cream.

SHRIMP AND SCALLOP DIJON

1/2 pound large fresh shrimp

1/2 pound fresh scallops

Zest and juice of 1 small lemon

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 bunch green onions, sliced

8 large mushrooms, sliced

1 to 2 teaspoons flour

1 tablespoon cold water

Hot cooked rice

Clean and drain shrimp and place with scallops in bowl. Sprinkle lemon zest and juice over. Stir in Dijon mustard and honey, mixing well. Marinate 30 minutes.

Heat olive oil in wok. Add green onions and mushrooms and saute over high heat until mushrooms are tender. Add marinated shrimp and scallops with marinade. Cook over high heat until shrimp and scallops are fully cooked, but do not overcook.

Mix flour with water until smooth and stir into shrimp mixture. Cook, stirring, until sauce is thickened as desired. Serve over bed of rice. Makes 4 servings.