Jumbo lump crabmeat makes the most succulent cakes. If the cakes are refrigerated after they are formed they will hold together much better when you cook them. The key word in this recipe is "gently"; you want the crabmeat to stay intact when you mix and form the cakes. Use only enough breadcrumbs to hold the mixture together.

1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat
juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon minced chives
1 egg
1½ tablespoons mayonnaise
¼ cup fresh, white bread crumbs
salt to taste
2 ounces olive oil
cayenne pepper to taste

Gently pick over the crabmeat for bits of shell and cartilage. In a large bowl, gently mix crabmeat with remaining ingredients, except olive oil. Shape the crab mixture into 8 cakes. Place the cakes on a wax paper lined cookie sheet and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in a 12-inch non-stick pan over medium-heat. When the oil is hot, add the cakes and saute until golden brown on both sides. Don't crowd the pan. If necessary, cook them in two batches. Immediately place in oven for 5 to 7 minutes.

Relish:
1 ear of corn on the cob, husks and silks removed
1 red onion, minced
10 whole picked okra, thinly sliced
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
½ teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

Place corn on a grill over very hot coals. Grill, turning often to brown them evenly, for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove kernels from the cob. Place vegetables in a large bowl. Mix with olive oil and vinegar until thoroughly combined. Add the cilantro and mix once. Taste for seasoning.

1 quart oysters (about 32)
2 cups water
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 leek (white part only) cleaned and chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon thyme
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup Champagne
2 cups heavy cream
8 ounces Brie cheese, diced
salt to taste
1 bunch scallions, chopped

Place shucked oysters with their liquor and water in a medium bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour. In the meantime, place a large saucepan over medium heat. Add butter and oil. When butter is melted, add vegetables, herbs, and seasonings. Saute until onions are translucent. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir with a wooden spoon to incorporate. Cook for 1 minute. Strain oysters from the liquid and reserve. Add the oyster liquid to the vegetables and stir until smooth. Add Champagne and simmer 20 minutes. Add cream and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the brie and turn off heat. Stir until the cheese is completely dissolved. Strain the soup through a medium sieve. Return soup to a simmer then add the oysters, stirring to incorporate. Adjust seasoning with salt. Cover and turn off the heat. Let sit for 5 minutes. Serve in soup bowls and garnish with chopped scallions.

6 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
1 onion, diced
4 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Pinch of Chesapeake seasoning
4 ounces grated mozzarella or sliced provolone cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 4-cup casserole. Melt the butter in a skillet. Add the zucchini and onion and saute for 3 to 5 minutes, or until half-cooked. Remove from the heat and add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, and Chesapeake seasoning. Pour into the dish and top with the cheese. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese melts and begins to brown. Remove from the oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Cooking and eating outdoors is one of the joys of summer, and grilling is the cooking method of choice. And I'm not just talking hamburgers and hot dogs. These days we are grilling practically everything that won't slip through the grates. Eggplant is made for the grill and acquires the same woodsy smokiness as a grilled steak.

4 small eggplants (1/2 pound each), cut into 1/2 inch slices
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
½ pound part-skim mozzarella, cut into ¼ inch slices
4 medium tomatoes, sliced
¼ cup fresh basil leaves
2 lemons cut in half

Brush both sides of the eggplant with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill over hot coals for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until the eggplant is tender when poked with a skewer. Arrange on individual serving plates, alternating slices of mozzarella and tomatoes. Sprinkle with basil leaves and squeeze lemon juice over the salad. Serve while eggplant is still warm.

8 1-3/4 -2 pound whole striped bass (rockfish) per person
Coating:
2 cups rice flour (available at Asian markets)
2 cups cornstarch
Combine in baking dish:
Peanut oil for deep frying
cilantro leaves for garnish

Using a sharp knife, score each side of the fish with 3 diagonal slashes. Heat oil in deep fat fryer or wok to 375 degrees. Use enough oil to cover fish completely. Dredge fish in rice flour-cornstarch mixture. Deep fry fish for 7 to 8 minutes, until crisp and golden. Drain on paper toweling. Fry one fish at a time. Garnish with chopped cilantro and spoon a tablespoon of sauce over the fish. Pour remaining sauce into a bowl and pass at the table.

Striped Bass Sauce:
1 cup water
1 cup lime juice
1 cup Asian black vinegar (available at Asian markets)
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped
1 tablespoon dehydrated onion flakes
2 shallots, chopped
¼ cup fish sauce (available in Asian markets)
½ cup rice wine vinegar
3 pieces star anise
10 whole black peppercorns

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain.

Here is a restaurant trick for making risotto that allows you to partially cook the rice in advance and chill it to prevent overcooking. It can then be quickly reheated and finished by adding hot liquid just before serving. The rice will remain beautifully al dente. Not even an Italian grandmother will be able to discern that you performed all the time-consuming procedures a day in advance.

Risotto Base:
2 cups shellfish stock, chicken stock, or water
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ large onion, minced
1 cup oyster mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1 cup Arborio rice

In a 2-quart saucepan, bring the stock or water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and keep just below boiling. In another 2-quart saucepan, heat the butter and oil. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Add the mushrooms, stirring with a wooden spoon, and cook for about 4 minutes more. Add the rice and stir until it is evenly coated with the butter-oil mixture. Slowly add the hot stock, 2/3 cup at a time, stirring constantly until the rice absorbs the liquid. This should take about 4 to 5 minutes for each addition. When all the stock has been absorbed, remove the risotto from the stove and pour onto a baking sheet to stop the cooking and cool as quickly as possible. (The rice will still taste a bit raw in the center.) Refrigerate, uncovered, until cold. (the risotto base can then be stored in a covered plastic container for up to 2 days.)

Shrimp and Mushrooms
1½ cups shellfish stock, chicken stock or water (approximately)
½ cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese
4 tablespoons olive oil
24 fresh shrimp, peeled, deveined and split in half lengthwise
1 teaspoon minced shallot
½ teaspoon minced garlic
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup oyster mushrooms, coarsely chopped

Bring the stock or water to a boil. Place the chilled risotto base in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat and add the butter. Pour 1-1/2 cups of the boiling stock slowly into the risotto, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Continue cooking until the rice is just barely tender but still al dente. Stir in the cheese, adjusting the consistency with more stock if the risotto becomes too thick. Remove from the heat and keep warm. In a 10-inch saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil almost to smoking. Add the shrimp and saute until just pink, being careful not to overcook. Add a pinch of the shallot and garlic and saute for a few seconds more. Season with salt and pepper, remove from the pan, and keep warm. In the same skillet heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil until very hot. Add the mushrooms and saute. Add the remaining shallot and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the pan.

Garnishes
Freshly grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese
½ cup julienned country ham
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

Divide the risotto into eight warm soup plates. Sprinkle the shrimp and mushrooms on top of each portion. Garnish with the cheese, ham, and chives.