Crabcakes, succotash, and a healthy dose of Old Bay seasoning define this laid-back summer meal.
This menu (including the shopping list) serves four, but everything can be doubled for a larger crowd.
Celebrate summer Delmarva-style (that’s DELaware-MARyland-VirginiA). This dinner starts off with grilled-in-the-shell shrimp with an Old Bay-spiked cocktail sauce for dipping, then pairs the definitive Chesapeake crabcakes with two salads bursting with fresh-from-the-farm corn, beans, and tomatoes. Finish things off with a simple parfait of sweet, ripe peaches and honey whipped cream.
Menu Timeline
Up to 1 day ahead:
- Make the cocktail sauce for the shrimp.
3 hours ahead:
- Prepare the crabcake mixture and refrigerate.
- Peel and marinate the peaches.
- Make the bean salad.
- Make the corn salad.
30 minutes ahead:
- Grill the shrimp and serve them to guests with the cocktail sauce while you cook the crabcakes.
15 minutes ahead:
- Shape and cook the crabcakes.
After dinner:
- Make the honey whipped cream and assemble the parfaits.
Shopping List
Fresh Produce
- 3/4 lb. assorted string beans (green beans, wax beans, purple beans, etc.)
- 4 large ripe peaches (about 1-1/2 lb.)
- 4-5 lemons
- 3 medium ears fresh corn
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes (about 15)
- 1 medium red onion
- 1 large bunch fresh basil
- 1 bunch fresh mint
- 1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 bulb garlic
Seafood, Eggs & Dairy
- 2 lb. jumbo shrimp in the shell
- 1 lb. jumbo lump or backfin lump crabmeat, fresh or pasteurized
- 1-1/2 cups cold heavy cream
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup salted butter (optional)
- 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
- 2 Tbs. plain low-fat yogurt
Other Groceries
- 1 loaf soft white sandwich bread, such as Pepperidge Farm
- 1 cup frozen shelled edamame
- 1/4 cup pine nuts (optional)
- 1 small package almond biscotti or amaretti cookies
- 1 bottle prepared horseradish
- 1 Tbs. amaretto
Pantry Staples
- 2 cups tomato ketchup
- 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2-1/2 Tbs. Old Bay seasoning
- 2 tsp. granulated sugar
- 1-1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- Tabasco or other hot sauce
- Kosher salt
- Black peppercorns