Readers' Favorite Recipes

Add parsley and next 3 ingredients. Stir in clams and reserved bacon; cook over medium heat just until thoroughly heated. Makes 14 cups. ― Capt. Ronald Kollmeyer, Fort Myers, Florida

Pour: 2004 or 2005 Marques de Casa Concha Chardonnay.
This fruity and buttery wine stands up to rich chowder but doesn't overwhelm.

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From her home in Naples, Florida, or her cottage in Neskowin, Oregon, bicoastal reader Virginia White prepares this easy seafood salad. The recipe was handed down from her mother. "She wasn't much of a cook," Virginia says, "but did manage some success with this recipe."

Shrimp Salad with Avocado and Curried Rice
1 cup uncooked rice
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 pound cooked small shrimp, peeled and deveined
½ green bell pepper, chopped
1 avocado, diced
3 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
1 cup sour cream
2/3 cup mayonnaise
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cook rice according to package directions, adding curry powder to cooking water; chill.

Combine rice, shrimp, and remaining ingredients. Makes about 6 cups. ― Virginia White, Naples, Florida

Pour: 2003 Allan Scott Sauvignon Blanc.
New Zealand produces some of the best Sauvignon Blancs. This one is alive with citrus and grassy flavors and is a natural match for a refreshing salad.

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Who says our readers aren't chefs? Chef and radio personality Dan Thiessen's new restaurant, 0/8 Seafood Grill, will open in Bellevue, Washington, this fall. "This crab cake is so great," he says. "The bread crumbs are used on the outside of the cake to protect the crab and form a golden-brown color when the cakes are seared in oil."

Crab Cakes with Watercress Vinaigrette

2 white bread slices
1 pound fresh lump crabmeat, drained and picked
2 tablespoons minced white onion
2 tablespoons minced celery
1 tablespoon minced red bell pepper
1 tablespoon minced green bell pepper
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon seafood seasoning
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Watercress Vinaigrette

Place bread in a food processor, and pulse 6 times or until coarse bread crumbs measure about 1½ cups.

Stir together crabmeat and next 7 ingredients. Shape mixture into 10 (2-ounce) patties; dredge in breadcrumbs. Place patties on a baking sheet, cover, and chill at least 2 hours.