here's a no-nonsense, impressive menu that takes about 2 hours total to prepare, including prep time. identical cooking temperatures and methods allow you to cook things at the same time, assembly is a snap, and the food is incredible.
i'm from the eastern shore, i don't mess around. i like my crab cakes like i like my men...with plenty of meat and no filler. that being said...here is an authentic, eastern shore recipe for the most delicious crab cake you'll ever eat.
ingredients
1 lb. lump or back-fin crab meat, picked thr
ough for shells
4 saltine crackers, crushed
1 tbsp. mayonnaise
1 egg, beaten
dash Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
handful parsley, chopped
dash old bay seasoning
salt to taste
method
combine all ingredients, except crab, in a bowl. carefully incorporate crab meat, mix with your hands, then form into 4 cakes. let crab cakes chill in the refrigerator for one hour.
assemble into about 4 good-sized cakes
broil on an ungreased sheet for about 10 minutes on each side, or until tops are golden brown.
*i am a little liberal with my seasoning application...and i also found that i needed to make a little more of the mixture in order to get all of the crab to stick together.
the aftermath... you should probably double the recipe.
roasted beet and orange endive salad
(a.k.a. love canoes). don't be shy to eat these with your fingers.
ingredients
2 small beets (reserve stems and leaves)
2 oranges (reserve zest of one)
1 head endive
juice of one lemon
olive oil
1/2 tsp sugar
salt and pepper
method
remove stems and leaves from beets. wrap beets in tin foil and roast at 415 for 45 minutes to one hour, until tender. (stick around your kitchen as it begins to smell heavenly as the beets roast).
while beets roast, carefully remove endive leaves, wash and pat dry. assemble on a platter. zest one orange, set zest aside. peel the oranges, then slice into 1/4 to 1/2 inch wheels. nestle each wheel inside the endive leaves.
to make the dressing, combine orange zest, lemon juice, and sugar. slowly add olive oil, stirring constantly until emulsified. season to taste.
once beets are cool, carefully remove them from foil, peel them, then dice them. (beet juice stains... be careful!) scatter diced beets on top of the orange ad endive boats, then drizzle with the dressing.
snazzy-ass yams
an easy, unbelievably delicious side that is versatile enough to serve with a variety of meals. try adding the spices from whatever main dish you are cooking to complement them (in this case, a little old bay sprinkled on before broiling is delicious!)
ingredients
2 yams, peeled and diced
olive oil
salt and pepper
paprika
brown sugar
method
coat diced yams with a thin layer of olive oil. add salt and pepper, toss with hands to coat evenly. spread evenly on a baking sheet and roast at 415 for about 20 minutes (they can go in with the beets...hooray for simultaneous roasting!)
once out of the oven, sprinkle with paprika and brown sugar, then pop in the oven again, this time with the broiler on, and broil until the tops of the yams are a little charred. (again, these can go in with the crab cakes when they are ready to be broiled.)
sauteed beet greens
remember those greens you reserved from the love canoes? here is where they come in handy. these greens are really rich and have a delightful flavor... the texture is comparable to sauteed spinach, but with more substance and less soggy. they have a great, buttery, peppery taste.
ingredients
greens and leaves of 2-3 beets, washed and stems removed
2-3 cloves garlic
olive oil
salt and pepper
white wine
method
heat olive oil and garlic in a saute pan. add greens, wine, and seasoning. saute for 10 minutes or until tender. easy.com.
plate these first, then top the bed of greens with a crabcake. ohmygoshyum.
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