A taste of things to come
There are some flavors that cannot help but transport me into summer.
Soft, fresh peaches, sweet as can be. Home grown tomatoes, warm from the sun and good enough to require nothing but a few flecks of sea salt. Sweet corn, grilled in the husk. Steaks and chicken, straight from the fire. Strawberry shortcakes with freshly whipped cream. Dense, naturally ripened melon.
But above all that, the one taste that makes me think of hot sun, and salt waves, and summer, is crab. Steamed crab, crab soup, crab cakes--crab.
So tonight, in the middle of a blustery winter day, both my husband and I were in need of a little summer, and so we, flush with the remains of the tax return, got a can of crab, and I put together a dinner that was like sunset on the Chesapeake Bay on a plate...
Crab Salad Melt
1 lb lump crabmeat (why not? go crazy)
6 stalks asparagus, sliced really short
2/3 c finely chopped celery
1/2 c finely chopped red bell pepper
2 scallions, sliced thin, white and green parts
1/4 c mayonnaise
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
A couple of blasts of hot sauce
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
(This will make enough crab salad to make at least 2 more servings, so you can half this if you like)
English muffins
Shredded Swiss cheese
Put the asparagus in a microwave-safe bowl with just a teensy bit of water, cover and microwave for 60 seconds. Drain and rinse under cold water immediately to stop the cooking. Toss together all the ingredients except the muffins and cheese, and refrigerate, allowing the flavors to marry for at least an hour.
With an ice cream scoop, put a scoop of crab salad on each half of an English muffin. Top with cheese, and put under the broiler until the cheese just starts to brown and bubble.
I served this with a salad of romaine hearts, grape tomatoes, feta and sliced almonds, with Brianna's Lemon Tarragon dressing, and iced tea.
Can summer be far away?
Soft, fresh peaches, sweet as can be. Home grown tomatoes, warm from the sun and good enough to require nothing but a few flecks of sea salt. Sweet corn, grilled in the husk. Steaks and chicken, straight from the fire. Strawberry shortcakes with freshly whipped cream. Dense, naturally ripened melon.
But above all that, the one taste that makes me think of hot sun, and salt waves, and summer, is crab. Steamed crab, crab soup, crab cakes--crab.
So tonight, in the middle of a blustery winter day, both my husband and I were in need of a little summer, and so we, flush with the remains of the tax return, got a can of crab, and I put together a dinner that was like sunset on the Chesapeake Bay on a plate...
Crab Salad Melt
1 lb lump crabmeat (why not? go crazy)
6 stalks asparagus, sliced really short
2/3 c finely chopped celery
1/2 c finely chopped red bell pepper
2 scallions, sliced thin, white and green parts
1/4 c mayonnaise
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
A couple of blasts of hot sauce
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
(This will make enough crab salad to make at least 2 more servings, so you can half this if you like)
English muffins
Shredded Swiss cheese
Put the asparagus in a microwave-safe bowl with just a teensy bit of water, cover and microwave for 60 seconds. Drain and rinse under cold water immediately to stop the cooking. Toss together all the ingredients except the muffins and cheese, and refrigerate, allowing the flavors to marry for at least an hour.
With an ice cream scoop, put a scoop of crab salad on each half of an English muffin. Top with cheese, and put under the broiler until the cheese just starts to brown and bubble.
I served this with a salad of romaine hearts, grape tomatoes, feta and sliced almonds, with Brianna's Lemon Tarragon dressing, and iced tea.
Can summer be far away?