Making the most of crabmeat

Section: Food

MARCELLE BIENVENU

Food gifts are always appreciated at my house. The week before Easter a friend brought me a quart of plump, salty oysters from Houma, iced down in a small ice chest. Dunked in cocktail sauce and plopped on saltine crackers, the mollusks were divine! A few days later, I was the recipient of a jar of homemade sweet pickles that were outstanding on a sandwich of ham and cheese made with homemade bread -- also a gift.

Not a week later, another friend bearing two pounds of gorgeous jumbo lump crabmeat stopped by to visit. I immediately invited him to stay for supper. It was the least I could do to thank him for such a generous gift.

Sipping on martinis, we discussed possible preparations for the crabmeat. My first thought was to toss it with homemade mayonnaise, capers, and fresh chives from my herb garden. My husband voted for crab cakes. Our guest cast his ballot for crabmeat Imperial, for which I had the recipe from Commander's Palace.

While the Imperial baked in the oven, we recalled other favorite crabmeat recipes.

I remember my mother making crabmeat ravigote, which she often served as an appetizer at her dinner parties. Her version was simple: Toss lump crabmeat with warm hollandaise sauce and finely chopped green onions, and serve over toast points. I remember another ravigote that combined mayonnaise, finely chopped herbs, finely grated hard-boiled eggs, a dab or two of Dijon mustard, lemon juice, capers and, of course, the crabmeat -- also very good