CRAB CAKES WITH CUCUMBER TARTAR SAUCE
KEY CANCER INGREDIENTS: Crab, cucumber, anchovy

Cucumber Tartar Sauce:
1 cup 1/8-inch cubes peeled and seeded cucumber
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 scallion, white and green parts, finely chopped
2 tablespoons nonpareil capers, rinsed
1 teaspoon anchovy paste

Crab Cakes:
1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup dried bread crumbs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 large egg, beaten
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 scallion, white and green parts, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
1 pound fresh lump crabmeat, picked over for cartilage
safflower (or vegetable) oil for deep-frying

To make the sauce:
In a medium bowl, toss the cucumber with the salt. Let stand about 1 hour. Transfer to a sieve and rinse well under cold running water. Pat the cucumber dry.

In a small bowl, mix the drained cucumber, mayonnaise, scallion, capers, and anchovy paste. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (The tartar sauce can be prepared up to 3 days ahead.)

To make the crab cakes:
Mix the 1/2 cup bread crumbs, the mayonnaise, egg, mustard, scallion, Worcestershire sauce, and Delmarva or Old Bay seasoning. Mix in the crabmeat with wet hands, form into 6 cakes about 3 inches wide. Place the remaining 1/2 cup bread crumbs in a deep plate. Coat the crab cakes in the crumbs and set aside.

Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Into a large deep skillet (preferably cast iron), pour safflower oil to a depth of 1/2 inch, and heat over high heat until very hot but not smoking. Carefully add the crab cakes and cook, turning once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spatula, transfer to the paper towels to drain. Serve hot, with the tartar sauce on the side.

SERVINGS: makes 6 servings
TIME: 15 minutes for crabcakes, Tarter sauce needs to refrigerate for 1 hour
Note: The tartar sauce can be prepared up to 3 days ahead.
 

LOBSTER LOVER’S BISQUE
KEY CANCER INGREDIENTS: Lobster, celery, cream, tarragon

one 3-pound live lobster
1 medium onion
1 celery rib
1 carrot
1 vine-ripened tomato
1 head garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
8 black peppercorns
1/2 cup brandy
1/2 cup dry Sherry
4 cups fish stock*
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
*available at fish markets and some specialty foods shops

Fill a 6-quart kettle three fourths full with salted water and bring to a boil. Plunge lobster headfirst into water and cook, covered, over high heat 8 minutes. Transfer lobster with tongs to a large bowl and in a measuring cup reserve 2 cups cooking liquid.

Let lobster stand until cool enough to handle. Working over a bowl to catch the juices, twist off tail and claws and reserve juices. Reserve tomalley and discard head sacs and any roe. Remove meat from claws and tail, reserving shells and lobster body. (Lobster meat will not be cooked through.) Coarsely chop meat and transfer to a bowl. Chill lobster meat, covered.

Chop onion, celery, carrot, and tomato and halve garlic head crosswise. In a 6-quart heavy kettle heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté reserved lobster shells and body, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes. Add vegetables, garlic, herbs, peppercorns, brandy, and Sherry and simmer, stirring, until almost all liquid is evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add stock and reserved tomalley and cooking liquid (reserve 2 tablespoons for cornstarch mixture). Simmer mixture, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 1 hour.

Pour mixture through a fine sieve into a large saucepan, pressing on and discarding solids. Whisk in tomato paste and simmer until reduced to about 3 cups, about 10 minutes. Add cream and simmer bisque 5 minutes. In a small bowl stir together cornstarch and cooking liquid and whisk into bisque. Simmer bisque, stirring, 2 minutes. (Bisque will thicken slightly.) Add lobster meat with any reserved juices and simmer bisque 1 minute, or until lobster meat is just cooked through. Season bisque with salt and pepper.

SERVINGS: makes 4 servings
TIME: about 1-1/2 hours
 

SUMMER SHRIMP SALAD WITH WATERMELON
KEY CANCER INGREDIENTS: Shrimp, watermelon, avocado

1 pound fully cooked medium shrimp peeled and deveined
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
4 cups watermelon, roughly chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped
2 avocados, roughly chopped
juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon honey
3 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1-1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

In a large bowl, combine the shrimp, onion, watermelon, jalapenos, and avocado. In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, honey, oil, salt, and pepper.

Pour the vinaigrette over the salad; toss. Sprinkle with the cilantro. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld before serving.

SERVINGS: makes 6 servings
TIME: 20 minutes
Note: grilled shrimp is particularly nice in this dish
 

STEAMED MOLLUSKS WITH WHITE WINE, HERBED TOMATOES AND GARLIC
KEY CANCER INGREDIENTS: Mussels, clams, tarragon

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
1 28-ounce can Italian-style tomatoes with juices, coarsely chopped
1 small onion, peeled (about 6 ounces)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried
3 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano or 3 teaspoons dried
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon or 1 teaspoon dried
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 large bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
4 pounds mussels, scrubbed, debearded
4 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed

Heat olive oil in heavy medium pot over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add tomatoes with their juices, whole onion, basil, tarragon and 1tablespoon oregano to pot. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer sauce until reduced to 1 3/4 cups, about 1 hour. Remove onion and discard. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add parsley, bay leaf, crushed red pepper, remaining 1 tablespoon garlic and 2 tablespoons oregano. Sauté until garlic is tender, about 1 minute. Stir in wine and tomato sauce. Add mussels and stir to coat. After 2 minutes of steaming the mussels with lid on, add clams, cover and simmer for another 5 minutes until both clams and mussels are open, about discard any mollusks that do not open. Using tongs, transfer mussels to large serving bowl. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle sauce over mussels and serve.

SERVINGS: makes 4 servings
TIME: 20 minutes
 

MUM’S MACARONI & CHEESE
KEY CANCER INGREDIENTS: Cheese, milk

12 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese
4 ounces of Velvetta
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup half & half
1 teaspoon dried mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
8 ounces of prepared Ziti (or other pasta of choice)

For the Cheese Sauce
Melt butter in sauce pan or double boiler. When melted add the flour and make a roux. Slowly wisk the milk into the roux. If too thick, add more milk.

Use 12 ounces of very sharp cheese. Slice thin and gradually whisk into the prepared white sauce. Stir constantly until cheese is melted.

Add Velvetta to give cheese sauce smooth consistency. Add dried mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Stir and remove from heat until ready to use.

Bake the Ziti and Cheese
Once ziti is cooked al dente, drain and place in casserole. Pour cheese sauce over the pasta. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until top brown and cheese bubbling.

SERVINGS: makes 6 servings
TIME: about 1 hour
Mum’s Note: Sometimes I add assorted cheeses that are left over in refrigerator. Examples added have been gouda, swiss, provolone, blue. It is always good and always a little surprising.
 

MAPLE CRÈME CARAMEL
KEY CANCER INGREDIENTS: Cream, milk, maple syrup (and syrup from other sap trees)

Caramel
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water

Custard
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
3 large egg yolks
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup whole milk

For caramel:
Preheat oven to 300°F. Lightly butter four 3/4-cup soufflé dishes or custard cups. Combine sugar and water in heavy small saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar melts. Increase heat; boil without stirring until deep amber color, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan occasionally, about 10 minutes. Immediately pour caramel into prepared dishes. Using oven mitts as aid, quickly rotate dishes to coat sides with some of caramel. Set aside.

For custard:
Whisk maple syrup, yolks and egg in medium bowl to blend. Combine cream and milk in heavy medium saucepan and bring to boil. Gradually whisk hot cream mixture into yolk mixture. Divide custard among prepared dishes. Set dishes into 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Add enough hot water to pan to come halfway up sides of dishes. Cover baking pan with foil.

Bake custards until set in center, about 55 minutes. Chill custard uncovered until cold, at least 5 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; keep refrigerated.)

To serve, run knife around dish sides to loosen custards. Invert onto plates.

SERVINGS: makes 4 servings
TIME: about 1 hour and 15 minutes to make, minimum 5 hours to refrigerate