Setting the Welcome Table

Makes 8 servings

1/2 stick of butter
1 small onion, minced
4 egg yolks
2 teaspoons Coleman's dry mustard
8 slices white bread, crusts trimmed, flattened, and finely diced
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 dashes Tabasco sauce
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
3 pounds jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over for cartilage
  and bits of shell
  Peanut oil
2 eggs beaten
1 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
8 lemon wedges

Maryland Crab Cakes ...

Melt the butter in a small saute pan and cook the onion until transparent. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the onion, egg yolks and mustard. Stir in the bread, cayenne, Old Bay seasoning, mayonnaise, parsley, Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Gently fold in the crabmeat, being careful not to break up the lumps.

Form into 16 cakes, using about 1/3 cup for each cake. Heat the oil in a deep fryer to 350 [degrees] F.

In a small bowl, combine the beaten eggs and milk. Dip the crab cakes in flour. Using a slotted spoon, dip each one in the egg wash. Sprinkle with fresh breadcrumbs, coating well. Deep-fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges and tartar sauce.

Chef's tip: For a lighter dish, dust the crab cakes with flour and saute in peanut oil or butter over medium high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side. You can also bake unbreaded crab cakes without the flour. Sprinkle lightly with melted butter and paprika and bake in a preheated 350 [degrees] F oven until brown on top, about 6-8 minutes.

Grandmother Crump's Clear Tomato Soup

From: A Gracious Plenty

Makes 4 servings

4 cups tomatoes
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped onion
4 whole cloves
A dash of salt
A dash of cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Lemon slices and parsley springs for garnish

Combine tomatoes, celery, onion and cloves in a saucepan. Cook, covered over low heat until the tomatoes are soft. Remove from the heat and add the salt, cayenne and vinegar. Pour the mixture through a sieve into a second saucepan, mashing the tomatoes against the sieve for juice. Serve hot with a lemon slice afloat in the center of each serving. Garnish with parsley.

Sauteed Collard Greens

From: The New Low-Country Cooking

Makes 6 servings

3 pounds collard greens
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 carrot, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves, or
  1 teaspoon dried
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage leaves, or
  1 teaspoon dried
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves,
  /or/ 1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar
Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Cut the bottoms off the collard greens and place the leaves in a sink full of cold water. Swish them around and let the dirt fall to the bottom. Remove the greens from the water, drain and refill the sink, repeating the procedure until it drains clean. When the greens are thoroughly washed, use the point of a sharp knife to trim along both sides of the center vein on each leaf and remove it. Cut the leaves into 1-inch pieces (the easiest way to do this it to roll several leaves tightly and slice the roll; then cut each roll into pieces).