Thursday night is Lobster Night at Virginia Beach's justly famed Rockafellers Restaurant overlooking the Marina at Rudee Inlet. But every night is crab night and my Lady assures me that their thick, moistly succulant Crabcakes are "to die for". While she enjoys her Crabcake with a glass of Pinot Grigio, I hit the shrimps,lightly breaded, deep fried, and served with lemon juice and a spicy tomato dip.
On our visit to Cornwall last summer, (about which I shall write in glowing detail in a future article), we gorged ourselves on local crab, fresh Cornish salmon, served hot or cold, and fresh mackerel, caught and served the same day. For lunch we would sometimes enjoy a simple meal of smoked mackerel, a Cornish delicacy served with crispy bread and creamy butter, capers and lemon juice. Mackerel is a fish with strong distinctive flavour that needs little culinary work upon it.
Local salmon, crab and smoked mackerel decorate the buffet tables of quality Cornish establishments such as our own favorites, the Corisande Manor Hotel near Newquay, and the Island Hotel, Tresco, on the Isles of Scilly.
Here is an interesting Crab Dip to serve at a summer party.
Ingredients: for the Dippers you need crisp fresh vegetables such as celery, green or red bell peppers, cucumbers, carrots, and Look for capers packed in saltspring onions, cut lengthways in strips.
For the Dip you need: 1 lb fresh white crabmeat, shredded, 4 tsps wholegrain mustard, 2 tsps soy sauce, 12 tbsps mayonnaise, 6 tbsps whipping cream, whipped, 1 tsp Tabasco, 1 tbsp capers, salt and cause ground black pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh parsley. Mix all ingredients and cool before serving.
Gourmet Tip: Look for capers packed in salt, rather than bottled in vinegar. You need to wash them before using, but they still retain their fresh perfumed flavor, (lost in vinegar), which is stunning.
The Lebanese Shop off Laskin Road in Virginia Beach stocks them, as well as exciting and unusual Levantine spices like Sumac, which I use in a lot of different recipes as my "Secret Ingredient X"! If you can find it, try using some in your rice or couscous dishes. I am told that its use dates back to classical times of Ancient Rome and Egypt.
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