Today's menu has the feel of weekend fun, with all the ease of a weeknight supper. Perfect Crab Cakes--heavy on crab and light on filler--anchor the dinner. Be sure to form them compactly so the cakes hold together during frying.
Corn is a natural with crab. For simplicity, keep it on the cob. To make it special, cook it twice: first in the microwave, then in a skillet till the ears turn golden-brown. (If you only have one large skillet, make the crab cakes first and keep them warm, then finish the corn.) Instead of butter, pass a chili-lime-cilantro sour cream. Unlike butter, sour cream adheres to the kernels, and its rich tartness is a pleasant contrast to the sweet corn. There's more sauce than needed for four ears of corn--enough to dab on the crab cakes, too.
Round out the main course with sliced ripe tomatoes or coleslaw. (Lightly toss a package of coleslaw mix with mayonnaise, vinegar, a couple of chopped green onions, and salt and pepper.)
Short of serving store-bought ice cream, you won't find a simpler, more delicious dessert than this fruit cobbler. Use any juicy summer fruit: peaches, nectarines, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries. And if you use frozen berries, this dessert can be assembled in less than 10 minutes.
Copyright 2005 USA Weekend and columnist Pam Anderson. All rights reserved.
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