Crab

When sweet, succulent jumbo crabmeat comes into season, this is an incredibly simple, light, and refreshing first course that requires no cooking. It can also be used as a main course for a summer luncheon.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Chipotle chilies are the secret to this sassy cocktail sauce.

For the start or close of a millennium (or almost any other significant occasion), this is an opulent but fuss-free combination. Purchase the crabs from a busy fishmonger to ensure absolute freshness. Inexpensive caviar (which is often dyed) can turn the dipping sauce gray; invest a little more if you can. Champagne — not too dry — is naturally the beverage of choice.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes of less.

"I'm hoping to get the recipe for a terrific appetizer I tried at Hamiltons' at First & Main in Charlottesville, Virginia," says Sue Carter of Murieta, California. "The seafood fritters came with lettuce leaves (to wrap around the fritters) and a spicy sauce."

Cioppino is San Francisco's answer to bouillabaisse and, like that famous Provencal seafood soup, is made with a variety of the freshest fish possible. In San Francisco the mixture included Dungeness crab, which adds a unique flavor, but any regional crab will do. If crab is not available, substitute another shellfish. No clams? Try mussels. The point is to treat the following recipe as a guide and use whatever looks best in the market the day you make the soup.

Canapés came into fashion in the cocktail-party era that began in the 1920s. Bottled mayonnaise (which was first produced by Richard Hellmann in 1912 at his New York deli) and canned crabmeat help to make this canapé a model of fast food.

Store-bought picked crab meat and slaw mix make these celebratory sandwiches a breeze to prepare—just don’t skimp on the Old Bay mayo.

A luscious combination of creamy Boursin cheese and lump crab, cradled by tender omelet. A scattering of crunchy Ritz cracker crumbs seal the deal.

This ode to Gullah Geechee cuisine marries crabmeat with corn kernels for a crispy party starter.