On a recent visit to Charleston, South Carolina, in service to Les Dames d’Escoffier, International, we enjoyed several memorable meals when we weren’t cooped up in conference rooms during 12 hours of intense Board meetings.

Here are the gorgeous hush puppies served up at the Charleston Crab House, which has been family-owned for the past 20 years. There are two locations, with the one we tried conveniently located right across the street from the venerable Charleston City Market.

This sign at Charleston Crab House says it all!

We wanted to try one of the local delicacies, Garlic Crab, although our server warned us there wasn’t much meat inside.

Should have listened to her, for the shells were almost as hard as those on a stone crab, with very little meat exhumed for a lot of effort. Glad we just got a single order since we didn’t even finish that!

MUCH better was this sampler plate of a crab cake (made of blue crab and SPICY–not at all similar to Northwest crab cakes, but equally good), fried shrimp (a rare treat for us–we chowed down on them), and King crab claws (not nearly as satisfying as Dungeness).

Waffle fries and coleslaw served as hearty sides!

We walked the entire Market area after lunch to work off a few of those Southern-fried calories. Guess the bacon craze is ubiquitous throughout the United States. Not so sure about Buffalo Wing Soda, however. 🙂

When we visited in mid-July, it was one of the hottest weekends on record on the East Coast. Here are some smart local kids cooling off in a fountain near the sprawling Waterfront Park.

For Spencer’s and my big night out alone (before the meetings started) we chose Husk, the newest offering from James Beard Award-winning Chef Sean Brock of McCrady’s and the Neighborhood Dining Group. Here’s the refreshing Pickled Shrimp with Arugula and Cantaloupe, Shaved Fennel, HUSK Ricotta, and Watermelon Vinaigrette that I enjoyed.

And Spencer’s Chilled Sweet Corn Soup with Virginia Blue Crab, Salad of Summer Courgettes, Fire-Roasted Fennel and Corn, and Crème Fraîche–talk about LOTS of cream.

This is the lovely NC Flounder with VA Blue Crab, Chanterelles and Wood-Fired Peaches, Fennel, and House-Made Vinegar.

And what would a summertime visit to the South be without a bite or three of Fresh Peach Cobbler with White Chocolate Ice Cream and Bourbon Butterscotch?!?!

Here’s a photo of the dessert card for a little more vicarious pleasure.

Grilled Albacore Tuna Spinach Salad

Varietal: Zinfandel

Serves 4

This may be the perfect main-dish salad since it features one of the Northwest’s tastiest and most economical summertime fish—fresh albacore tuna—in a hearty brown marinade that includes lots of garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco. Even meat-eaters will sit up and take notice! As you would with a meat dish, pair the flavorful, densely textured tuna with a heavy red wine, such as a Zinfandel. “Zin’s” rich, velvety, “chewy” texture and lush berry flavors (plum, raspberry, berry jam) and black pepper and spice notes complement the flavors in this hearty dish.

2 tablespoons minced garlic
6 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Four 6-ounce albacore tuna steaks, rinsed, drained, and patted dry
2 cups fresh white (button) or cremini mushrooms, cut in half (or quarters if extra large)
1 bunch spinach leaves, rinsed, drained, tough stems removed, and spun dry or 6 cups ready-to-eat spinach leaves
2 carrots, cut into 1/8-inch-wide slices
1/2 red onion, cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-wide slices

1. Place the garlic, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, and olive oil in a nonreactive mixing bowl large enough to hold the fish without crowding, and stir or whisk to blend. Divide the marinade in half. To half of the marinade, add the fish fillets, turning well to coat. To the marinade remaining in the other bowl, add the mushrooms, and stir well to coat. Cover both bowls and refrigerate 20 minutes to 2 hours, turning occasionally.

2. Ten minutes before cooking, preheat an outdoor or indoor grill. Lightly oil the grill, remove the fish fillets from the marinade, pat dry, and arrange on the grill without crowding. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, then turn and cook another 3 to 5 minutes, about 10 minutes per inch of thickness, or until the fish just turns opaque. Discard the fish marinade.

3. To serve, divide the spinach leaves among four plates. Place a fish fillet in the center of the leaves, then divide the carrot and onion slices among the plates, sprinkling the slices over the fish fillets and spinach leaves. Spoon the marinated mushrooms and any remaining marinade over and around the fish and vegetables.

Recipe reprinted with permission from the “Pike Place Public Market Seafood Cookbook,” gift edition and e-edition, by Braiden Rex-Johnson, copyright 2005 and 2012. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc.

Spicy Smoked Salmon with Wasabi Dipping Sauce

Varietal: Pinot Gris

Serves 12 as an appetizer, 6 to 8 as an entrée

By curing a side of salmon overnight in a marinade brimming with freshly ground spices and a touch of liquid smoke, then cooking the fish in a low oven, the pink flesh becomes meltingly tender and flavorful, with a taste similar to smoked salmon. Best of all, you don’t even need a stovetop or outdoor smoker! And while some people consider it difficult to pair wines with smoked seafood, the spices in this dish make that task a bit easier. The intriguing combination of warm spices, including star anise, allspice, cinnamon, and coriander, cries out for an aromatic wine with lots of fruit. I’d opt for Pinot Gris, the irrepressibly food-friendly wine from Oregon. Medium-bodied, dry, and lightly acidic, Pinot Gris pairs perfectly with so many preparations of fish, shellfish, poultry, and pork. Look for citrus, honey, and spice notes on the nose and in the mouth, and serve it slightly chilled. This recipe is tried and true, having appeared in both editions of the Pike Place Public Market Seafood Cookbook. Leftovers (if there are any!) would be a lovely addition to a summer picnic basket.

1 tablespoon Salmon Spice Mix (Recipe follows)

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon mirin

1 tablespoon sake

1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar

1 tablespoon canola oil or sesame oil

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 tablespoon liquid smoke

Pinch of salt

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

1 side of salmon, filleted and boned, with skin (about 2 1/2 pounds)

Freshly ground white pepper

Wasabi Dipping Sauce (Recipe follows)

Place Salmon Spice Mix, soy sauce, mirin, sake, rice vinegar, canola oil, maple syrup, liquid smoke, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes in a small nonreactive bowl with a lid and mix until well blended.

Place a piece of plastic wrap lengthwise on a baking sheet, allowing 8 inches of extra wrap at each end to cover the salmon. Place salmon on the plastic wrap, skin side down. Spoon half the marinade over salmon and rub into the flesh. Turn the salmon over and cover completely with plastic wrap. Place the salmon and leftover marinade in the refrigerator overnight.

One hour before cooking, remove the salmon and the remaining marinade from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature. Ten minutes before cooking, preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Place a rack large enough to hold the fish on a baking sheet and spray the rack with nonstick cooking spray.

When the oven is hot, place the salmon on the rack, skin side down. Pour half of the remaining marinade onto the salmon, patting in gently.

Place the baking sheet on the top rack of the oven and roast the salmon for 15 minutes. Remove salmon from the oven and cover with the remaining marinade. Return salmon to the oven for 30 to 45 minutes more, or until opaque throughout and golden brown in color.

To serve, remove the skin (if desired), and place the fish on a serving platter. Sprinkle lightly with white pepper and pass the Wasabi Dipping Sauce at the table.

Salmon Spice Mix

1 whole star anise

1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds

4 whole allspice berries

1 (3-inch) stick cinnamon, broken into several pieces

Place all of the ingredients in a spice mill or small, clean electric coffee grinder and process until very finely ground. Pour the spices into a small nonreactive bowl or jar with a lid, cover and set aside.

Wasabi Dipping Sauce

Makes about 1/4 cup

1 tablespoon wasabi powder

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon water

2 tablespoons honey mustard

Stir together all of the ingredients in a small nonreactive bowl. Allow to sit at room temperature at least 10 minutes to allow the flavors to blend, or cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Recipe reprinted with permission from the “Pike Place Public Market Seafood Cookbook,” gift edition and e-edition, by Braiden Rex-Johnson, copyright 2005 and 2012. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc.

In May, we enjoyed 18 days out of the office taking a Lisbon to London cruise aboard the Seabourn Sojourn. Here are a few of my favorite dishes we discovered along the way, beginning with this Shrimp Cocktail from the Sojourn’s Restaurant 1 (main) dining room. Gorgeous presentation on Rosenthal china.

Also aboard the Sojourn, Soft-shelled Crab, better than my mother used to make (sorry, Mom!).

A vegetarian entrée aboard the Sojourn–Tofu with Chow Mein–light and full of interesting Asian spices.

During our first port call, in Gijon, Spain, we tried the traditional Asturian bean and meat stew offered to us for lunch at a traditional Sidre (hard- cider) factory.

Fresh oysters at Le Noailles, a restaurant we chose for our one dinner in Bordeaux (a beautiful city where we enjoyed an overnight port call).

Sole Meuniére at Le Noailles, our dinner restaurant in Bordeaux. One of the best (if not THE BEST) version of this dish we’ve ever had.

The giant “artichoke salad” I ordered at Le Noailles in Bordeaux. Big as your head! Served with traditional aïoli sauce.

Back aboard the Sojourn, I dove into this beautiful Bouillabaisse, made from the local fish we bought during our Market Tour with Seabourn chef Martin.

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A gorgeous three-minute egg I enjoyed aboard the Sojourn during a sunny morning in Bordeaux. Look at that gorgeous saffron-colored yolk!

My fruit salad made a colorful photographic study when taken with my favorite Hipstamatic iPhone4 app.

Giant meringues in a bakery window in St. Malo, France–the “Buccaneer City!”

Gorgeous seafood displays at a restaurant in St. Malo.

Grilled lobster and boiled potatoes (local specialties) in Guernsey, England.

Macaron “ice-cream sandwiches” in Rouen, France.

Frites with mayonnaise, our well-deserved lunch after a busy day of sightseeing in Bruges, Belgium.

Back on shore during our three days in London post-cruise, we enjoyed steamed mussels at Wright Brothers, a well-known seafood restaurant in London.

The beautiful Spinach Soufflé I enjoyed during our last dinner of the 18-day trip. . .at Langan’s Brasserie, partly owned by actor Michael Caine, in the Mayfair section of London.

Grilled Asparagus Salad with Prosciutto, Parmigiano-Reggianno, and Balsamic Vinaigrette

Varietal: Pinot Gris

Serves 4

This boldly flavored, texture-packed salad, which comes from Vancouver, British Columbia-based chef Rob Feenie’s third cookbook (“Feenie’s: Brunch—Lunch—Dinner,” Douglas & McIntyre, 2006)  is a cinch to make, yet beautiful to behold and a delight to eat. The caramelized asparagus, salty prosciutto, and sweet-tart balsamic vinaigrette work well with the lively texture and honeysuckle/pear/vanilla flavors typical of Pinot Gris.

1 to 2 tablespoons kosher salt, plus extra salt for seasoning

2 pounds green asparagus, woody stems snapped or cut off and discarded

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Freshly ground white pepper

Balsamic Vinaigrette (Recipe follows)

8 slices prosciutto

4 cups mesclun or other salad greens

Parmigiano-Reggiano or good-quality Parmesan cheese, for garnish

1. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add enough of the salt so that it tastes like sea water. Prepare an ice bath. (See Cook’s Hint, below.)

2. Add the asparagus to the water and cook for 1 minute, or until the asparagus turns bright green. Immediately transfer the blanched asparagus to the ice bath to stop the cooking process and to preserve the color. When the asparagus has cooled in the water, transfer to several thicknesses of paper towels or a clean kitchen towel to drain. Pat dry.

3. In a nonreactive bowl, toss the blanched asparagus with the olive oil to coat (to prevent the asparagus from sticking to the grill). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Grill 2 to 3 minutes, turning on all sides.

4. To serve, divide the asparagus among four warmed plates. Spoon the vinaigrette over and around the asparagus. Place 2 slices of prosciutto on top of each serving. Top with mesclun and drizzle with a little more vinaigrette. Use a vegetable peeler or sharp knife to thinly slice Parmigiano-Reggiano into curls and place a few on top of each serving.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Makes 2/3 cup

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons minced shallot

1 teaspoon honey

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground white pepper

1. In a nonreactive bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, shallot, and honey. Whisking continuously, slowly add the olive oil in a thin stream until it forms a smooth, thick sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Cook’s Hint: Ice Bath: Ice baths are called for when blanching vegetables or fruits; the cold water immediately stops the cooking process so the produce doesn’t become overcooked. To make an ice bath, simply fill a large mixing bowl with ice cubes and add cold water to cover the cubes.

Recipe reprinted from “Pacific Northwest Wining & Dining: The People, Places, Food, and Drink of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia” (Wiley, 2007, $34.95) by Braiden Rex-Johnson.

Lane Hoss, vice president of marketing for Anthony’s Restaurants, judges the West Coast’s best oyster wines

Winners of the 19th annual Pacific Coast Oyster Wine Competition were announced late last month by Taylor Shellfish Farms. As always, the competition was stiff, as leading food professionals in Seattle, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, searched for the ultimate “bliss factor” between wine and oyster.

I’ve been honored to judge the competition twice, and write articles for The Seattle Times Pacific Northwest magazine, Wine Press Northwest magazine, and Northwest Notes.

Heartiest congratulations to this year’s “Oyster Award” winners, which include:

**Cedergreen Cellars 2011 Sauvignon Blanc (WA)

**Chateau Ste. Michele 2012 Sauvignon Blanc (WA)

**Dry Creek Vineyards 2012 Dry Chenin Blanc (CA)

**Geyser Peak Winery 2012 Sauvignon Blanc (CA)

**Kunde Family Estates 2012 Sauvingnon Blanc (CA)

Long Meadow Ranch Winery 2012 Sauvignon Blanc (CA)

*Three Pears 2012 Pinot Grigio (CA)

Trefethen Family Vineyards 2012 Dry Riesling (CA)

Vinoce Vineyards 2012 Sauvignon Blanc (CA)

*Willamette Valley Vineyards 2011 Sauvignon Blanc (OR)

*Prior Oyster Award

**Multiple Prior Oyster Awards

The wineries listed above are 10 Equal Winners of the “Oyster Award” and are listed alphabetically.

Hungry foodies will want to plan trips to Victoria, British Columbia, in May and July to coincide with two upcoming food festivals: the inaugural Victoria Spot Prawn Festival and Taste: Victoria’s Festival of Food & Wine.

According to a recent press release, the Victoria Spot Prawn Festival runs from May 25 to 26, 2013, and kicks off with a long-table dinner and film presented by the Island Chefs Collaborative. Tickets are $150 CDN and limited to 250 people.

On May 26, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., visitors are invited to take in crafts, music, guest speakers, and chef demos by local favorites such as Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub and Vancouver Island Salt Company. Fresh seafood will be available on site along with plenty of other food vendors.

This family-friendly party by the sea is free to attend and not-to-be-missed!

From July 25 to July 28, 2013, experience Victoria’s fifth-annual festival of food and wine with Taste held at the Crystal Garden. Showcasing more than 100 British Columbia wines, guests will experience local fare prepared by top Vancouver Island chefs from some of the city’s finest restaurants such as The Marina Restaurant and AURA Waterfront Restaurant + Patio at the Inn at Laurel Point.

Tickets for the main event are $79 CDN, with more intimate events with themes such as Swine on the Vine and Sips &  Seafood filling the remainder of the festival schedule.

For more information, visit Facebook.com/IslandChefs.

Twitter Handles: @IslandChefs and @TravelWithTaste

Oregon Chardonnay is garnering national attention, taking center stage in the New York Times article “Oregon Chardonnay Speaks Up” last year and mentions in February’s Sunset Magazine article, “The Great White.”

And it doesn’t show signs of slowing down. The second Oregon Chardonnay Symposium on Saturday, May 4, at Red Ridge Farms will showcase a new wave of smaller producers and set out to define their signature style of North Willamette Valley Oregon Chardonnay.

The event will begin with an educational and interactive panel discussion, featuring eight artisan producers and nationally renowned wine writers. The discussion will include a technical tasting of very limited production Chardonnays from the panelists.

Participating Wineries

Arterberry Maresh

Big Table Farms

Crowley

Division Winemaking Company

Durant Vineyards

EIEIO

Matello

Walter Scott

Participating Media

Moderator:

Katherine Cole, wine columnist for The Oregonian and author of “Voodoo Vintners: Oregon’s Astonishing Biodynamic Winegrowers”

Panelists:

Paul Gregutt, “Wine Adviser” columnist for The Seattle Times and NW editor of Wine Enthusiast Magazine.

W. Blake Gray, author of the Gray Report blog, winner of the 2012 Wine Blog Awards for Best Industry Blog and columnist for WineReviewOnline.com, will also be participating in the event.

A walk-around tasting at the Durant Vineyards Tasting Room will follow the panel discussion, featuring wines from the participating wineries along with charcuterie plates accompanied by Oregon Olive Mill olive oils. Participants will be provided with seminar notes, tasting notes, and a logo wineglass.

Tickets are limited to 60 and cost $60 each. Reservations are required and can be made by calling Red Ridge Farms at 503-864-8502.

Panel Discussion Topics:

· Each winery will define their signature style of North Willamette Valley Oregon Chardonnay

· Drive and influence of each producer

· Visions

· Oak regiments

· Vineyard sources, soil and climatic influences

· Winemaking practices

· What does the future hold for Oregon Chardonnay

 Where

The Oregon Olive Mill at Red Ridge Farms

5510 NE Breyman Orchard Road

Dayton, OR 97114

When

Saturday, May 4, 2013

1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.: Panel Discussion and Technical Tasting

3:30 p.m. Expanded Tasting

Find more information on Facebook or Twitter @OregonOliveMill.

The first week in April, from Thursday at 1:30 p.m. to Sunday at 11 a.m., we enjoyed showing my brother and sister-in-law around Seattle.

Here’s the cute “pig” blackboard sign in our condo that welcomed them to town.

We had our first lunch at Place Pigalle in the Pike Place Market (oyster stew, beet salad, duck confit, crab cakes). Here’s a gorgeous shot of Place Pigalle’s oyster stew, one of the best, if not THE best, version in town.

At Wild Ginger Asian Restaurant & Satay Bar, in downtown Seattle, three of us ordered the justly famous Seven Element Soup, which is available only at lunchtime (pity!). We also managed to down platters of Seven-Spice Beef, Siam Lettuce Cups, Hanoi Tuna, and bok choy.

My brother was here partly for business reasons, so on the day he crossed over the mountains to attend a meeting in Yakima, Spencer and I took sis-in-law on a ferry ride to Bainbridge Island for a nature walk, exploring downtown, and lunch at our friend, Greg Atkinson’s, lovely Restaurant Marché.

We loved the menu, and enjoyed wild salmon, the Market Vegetable Plate (a daily-changing entrée with “five veggies five ways,” such as braised greens, grilled asparagus, carrots, and pea flan the day we were there).

Here is my gorgeous Salade Niçoise with a very generous portion of perfectly cooked albacore tuna riding atop. The recipe is on Greg’s website and would be a snap to whip up at home.

And although we really weren’t hungry, we had to try a scoop at Mora Iced Creamery shop just outside of Marché. Pistachio, Gianduja (Italian hazelnut chocolate), and Coconut were our delectable choices.

It was thrilling to see my dear friend Debra Prinzing’s book, “The 50-Mile Bouquet,” prominently displayed in the front window at Intentional Table on Bainbridge, in the Madrone Lane area  just outside Marché.

Our three dinners began in grand style at Steelhead Diner in the Pike Place Market, just across the street from bro and sis-in-law’s hotel, the beautiful, boutique-y Inn at the Market. In a bit of New Orleans-style lagniappe, chef Anthony sent over one of our absolute favorite dishes in Seattle–Caviar Pie.

After devouring that, we ordered more: Dungeness Crab Cake, Kasu Cod, troll-caught salmon. . .

and the gorgeous whole Idaho Trout swimming in a brown-butter bath and sprinkled with a plethora of plump pecans. Yum!

Vowing never to eat (or drink) again, we somehow managed to rally the next evening at Terra Plata, where the truly addictive Shisito Peppers with Aïoli didn’t last long.

Nor did the Roasted Olives, Medjool Dates, or Scallop Crudo (pictured above).

Scallops with Melted Leeks and a fried quail egg was my entrée; the meat eaters enjoyed the Braised Short Ribs.

Two desserts sated our sweet tooths (teeth?!?!). Here’s the Pavlova. . .

And the Apple Tart.

For our last supper (sounds rather dire!), we lived it up at the always ebullient RN74 in downtown Seattle. Sis-in-law loved the Tomato Soup Fondue, while bro ordered a gorgeous Green Pea Soup with Dungeness crab. Spencer opted for escargots (served in the shell!), and I got the Butter Lettuce Salad with Blue Cheese.

Here’s the generous portion of Black Cod with Bok Choy and Wild Mushrooms that I ordered. Beef Bourguignon, Duck Breast, and Beef Filet satisfied my dining companions.

From the Last Bottle list (an ever-changing board, much like a railroad-station board) we chose a 2005 Woodward Canyon Winery Red Blend (made up of Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc and Merlot) that was drinking absolutely perfectly (and a steal at $110, which is the reason we love the Last Bottle List so much!).

Bro and sis-in-law wanted a really good Dungeness Crab Benedict for their final meal in Seattle. So bright and early (at least for Spencer and me) at 9:30 on Sunday morning, we trotted down the hill from their hotel for brunch at Etta’s, one of legendary Seattle chef Tom Douglas’s 10 restaurants.

By now, even intrepid eaters such as Spencer and me were in a food and wine coma. So I was very appreciate of the brunch special of the day since it was a bit on the lighter/healthier side: Salmon Cake and Grilled Asparagus and Arugula Salad (well, maybe the fried egg on top wasn’t so healthy!).

The relatives raved about their Dungeness Crab Cakes Benedict, and Spencer chowed down on one of his long-time favorite dishes about town: Etta’s Breakfast (scrambled eggs, house-made chicken sausage, home fries, and sour-dough toast).

Here we are about to chow down at Etta’s, looking happy, and perhaps a few pounds heavier, after so much good food and drink in such a concentrated amount of time.

Of course, we did some sightseeing along the way (had to burn off some of those calories!) and enjoyed (and highly recommend) Bill Speidel’s Underground Tour. We had been last May with Spencer’s cousin and wife, so feared we might be bored going again so soon. But we had a great guide–Dietrich–who has been working for the company on and off since 1989. He looked at things from an architectural standpoint as well as historical, and we all agreed we learned a lot and had a lot of fun doing it.

We also spent a few hours at the Seattle Art Museum’s current exhibit: Rembrandt, Van Dyck, Gainsborough: The Treasure of Kenwood House, London. The paintings were truly inspiring, but perhaps most noteworthy (downright awesome) were the Rembrandt etchings.

Bro and sis-in-law enjoyed discovering Pike Place Market, especially Le Panier for morning coffee, croissant, and banana bread.

The weather was downright ugly (drizzle, heavy rain, a little sun, sunshine while it was raining!), and here is proof–a downed mannequin in front of the Utilikilts store in Pioneer Square.

More proof of the inclement weather; brooding skies as shown from the ferry coming back from Bainbridge Island.

Bro and sis-in-law promised they would be back soon, so I’ve already started thinking about what we will do next time.

For starters? How about a ride on the Seattle Great Wheel?

Happy New Year! As we say goodbye to the holidays and heavier-than-normal eating and drinking patterns, here’s a recipe that will begin your diet regimen in style. It’s an all-time favorite of mine that I hope will become one of yours as well. It was printed years ago in one of my early books, “Inside the Pike Place Market.” Enjoy!

Pacific Rim Seafood Boil

Wine Varietal: Off-Dry Riesling

The Dungeness crab is the prize catch of the oldest shellfish fishery in the North Pacific. Cancer Magister, the “big crab,” provides one of the best traditional foods of the region, often simply steamed or boiled. Here the “Dungie” finds refuge in a light, healthy broth redolent with fresh lemongrass and gingerroot, a Pacific Rim twist on the traditional Northwest crab feed. To eat this dish properly, seafood forks, crab crackers, and extra napkins are mandatory.

1 tablespoon peanut oil

1 pound Alaskan spot prawns or medium-sized shrimp, shelled and deveined, shells reserved

4 stalks lemongrass, outer leaves discarded and soft inner core chopped into 1/4-inch rounds, about 1/2 cup

2 tablespoons minced gingerroot

4 cloves garlic, peeled and halved

Pinch hot red pepper flakes

1/2 cup mirin (Japanese rice wine) or dry Sherry

4 cups homemade vegetable stock OR 2 (14 1/2 oz.) cans vegetable broth

1 1/2 cups water

2 precooked 1- to 1 1/2-pound Dungeness crabs in the shell, cracked into pieces suitable for picking

Pickled ginger, for garnish

1. Heat oil in a large wok or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the shrimp shells, lemongrass, gingerroot, and garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until the herbs give off their odor and shrimp shells turn opaque, stirring frequently. Add mirin, vegetable stock, and water and bring to a boil. Turn down heat, cover pan, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove broth from heat and pour broth through a fine-meshed strainer, pressing solids with a spoon to squeeze out all the juice. Discard solids.

2. Return broth to wok and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the spot shrimp and cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until shrimp just turn pink. With a slotted spoon, remove shrimp to a bowl and reserve.

3. Add the crab pieces to the broth and cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until crab is warmed through, stirring occasionally to redistribute. Add shrimp to the pan and remove from heat.

4. To serve, divide seafood and broth among individual bowls and garnish with pickled ginger.

Serves 4 as an entrée; 6 as an appetizer