Super <i> Zuppa</i>

Zuppa di pesce --Italy’s great fish soup--is about as versatile as a box of pasta. The broth is often based on fresh or canned tomatoes, but I also like fish soup made with white wine and a clear fish broth. Sometimes I add a variety of seafood, both fin fish and shellfish, but just as frequently I use only shellfish, adding just enough clams, shrimp, mussels, scallops and lobster to give each serving at least one taste of each variety.

In the following version, however, I keep it simple and use only mussels, cooked in a flavorful tomato broth. Farm-raised mussels are now widely available and very economical, especially compared to other shellfish.

Do not buy mussels whose shells are open and refuse to close when firmly tapped with a fingernail. When you get them home from the store, immediately remove the mussels from the plastic bag and rinse with cold water, then drain well. Spread on a shallow pan and cover with a damp paper towel; refrigerate if not using the mussels immediately. Mussels should be used within two days of purchase.

Precede the soup main course with crostini topped with a zesty mixture of cooked greens coated with olive oil and spiked with hot red pepper. For dessert, serve sliced oranges splashed with a little white wine and seasoned with ground cinnamon.

Crostini are simply thick slices of toasted bread. Whole-wheat Italian bread makes them especially delicious, though the oven method, given below, also works well with triangular pieces of pita bread.

CROSTINI WITH ESCAROLE 1 1/2 to 2 pounds escarole, cut or torn into 2-inch pieces 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 clove garlic, crushed Dash crushed hot red pepper Salt Freshly ground pepper Crostini

Add water to large saucepan until half full. Heat to boiling. Add escarole and cook, stirring, just until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain well, pressing on escarole with back of spoon to remove excess moisture.

Heat olive oil, garlic and red pepper in large skillet over low heat just until garlic begins to sizzle, 1 to 2 minutes. Add escarole all at once and stir to coat with oil. Increase heat to high and cook briefly to reduce juices in bottom of pan. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve spooned over pieces of Crostini. Makes 4 servings.

CROSTINI 4 thick slices Italian bread, preferably whole-wheat Extra-virgin olive oil, optional 1 clove garlic, halved, optional

Toast bread slices on grill, under broiler or in toaster oven until golden on both sides.

To prepare Crostini in oven, brush very lightly with olive oil and place on baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until edges are golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

Rub toasted bread very lightly with cut side of halved garlic clove. Makes 4 servings.

Serve this with plenty of bread to sop up the juices.

MUSSELS IN TOMATO BROTH 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 large onion, cut into thin wedges 2 cloves garlic, bruised with side of knife 1 (2x1/2-inch) strip orange zest 1 sprig fresh basil or Italian parsley 1 cup dry white wine 2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans Italian plum tomatoes with juices 2 pounds mussels Italian bread, optional

Combine olive oil, onion and garlic in large, broad saucepan or deep skillet. Cook and stir over low heat until onion is tender and golden, about 15 minutes. Do not brown. Add orange zest, basil and wine and heat to boiling. Boil, uncovered, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and juices. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, pull beard from each mussel and scrub with brush. Rinse mussels in several changes of cold water and drain in colander. Cover with dampened paper towel and refrigerate until ready to use.

Just before serving, add mussels to simmering tomato mixture. Cover and cook over medium to medium-high heat until mussels open, about 5 minutes. Discard any mussels that refuse to open.

To serve, divide mussels evenly among 4 large, broad soup bowls and ladle broth on top. Serve with Italian bread. Makes 4 servings.

For an unusual flavor combination, sprinkle the oranges lightly with ground red pepper instead of cinnamon.

CHILLED ORANGES WITH CINNAMON AND WHITE WINE 3 or 4 large oranges, preferably seedless 2 teaspoons sugar 1 cup dry white wine Ground cinnamon

Cut orange peel and white pith from oranges with thin, sharp knife. Cut into 1/3-inch-thick slices and remove seeds, if necessary. Arrange orange slices in wide, shallow bowl or platter to overlap slightly. Sprinkle with sugar.

Pour wine over oranges and dust lightly with cinnamon. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled. Makes 4 servings.