Fresh From Martha's Vineyard

As the calendar pages turn to July, I begin to think of swooping sea gulls, pebble-strewn beaches, and Martha's Vineyard meals. As I pack the minivan for the annual migration to the island, complete with boxes of reference books for my latest projects, the impedimenta of my life, and cat boxes filled with squalling felines who will recover and soon be eyeing robins and squirrels from open windows, I always leave room for my favorite foods: olives, almonds and other nuts, myriad cheeses, and plastic baggies filled with my new favorite spices. (I'm always trying to fit one more item into the food boxes.) Upon arrival, I can't wait to unpack and throw my first dinner party. I've got my menu already planned to include an appetizer of my favorite nibbles, followed by fried scup, crisp and tasty with the tang of the sea. I'll add a succotash of okra, corn, and tomatoes, where the bright tastes and colors of summer show up on the plate. For dessert, gingerbread - finished with whipped cream colored khaki with molasses - will celebrate the carpenter-Gothic house that has been my summer refuge for 50 years and the bounty of the island that I love.

FRIED SCUP
SERVES 6

"Scup" is a New England term for the porgy, a favorite fish of African-Americans. My mother learned from a Vineyard fisherman that a slathering of mayonnaise helps the cornmeal to adhere and adds to the taste.

12 medium-sized porgies (about 1 pound each), cleaned
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Canola oil, for frying
1 tablespoon seafood boil (see right)
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup flour
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup mayonnaise

In a large nonreactive bowl, place the fish and sprinkle with the lemon juice. Cover and set aside.

In a deep cast-iron skillet, pour about 2 inches of oil and heat on medium-high until it registers 350 degrees on a deep-frying thermometer. Meanwhile, using a spice grinder, pulverize the seafood boil into a fine powder. In a medium-size brown paper bag, combine the seafood boil with the cornmeal, flour, salt, and pepper.

Using a rubber spatula or your fingers, spread about 2 teaspoons of mayonnaise over each fish. Place a few fish at a time in the bag and shake well to coat evenly with the cornmeal mixture. Working in batches, slide the fish into the hot oil, being careful not to crowd them. Fry, turning once, for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Transfer to paper towels to drain, then place on a warmed platter. Repeat until all the fish are cooked. Serve at once.

SEAFOOD BOIL
MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP

You can use this all-purpose mix for everything from crabs to fried fish. It will keep in a tightly covered container for an entire summer.

1/4 cup pickling spice
2 tablespoons brown mustard seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 tablespoons coarse sea salt
1 tablespoon celery seed
1 tablespoon dried chives
2 teaspoons crushed red chilies, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground ginger
5 bay leaves, broken into pieces
2 teaspoons dried
Italian oregano

Place all of the ingredients in a spice grinder and pulverize until you have a coarse powder. Stir to mix and to make sure no large unprocessed pieces remain. Pour the mixture into a glass jar, cap tightly, and store in a cool, dark place.

SUMMER SUCCOTASH
SERVES 6

Pricking the habanero chili keeps it from exploding and giving too much heat to the dish. Those with more delicate taste buds may want to leave it out.

6 large ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped
2 cups freshly cut corn kernels
1 pound okra, tops and tails trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
1 habanero chili, pricked with a fork (optional)
1 1/2 cups water
Salt and black pepper, to taste

In a saucepan, combine the tomatoes, corn, okra, chili, and water. Stir to mix and place over medium heat. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the flavors are well blended. If you use the chili, remove it from the pan when the dish has reached the desired spiciness. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.

GINGERBREAD WITH BLUEBERRIES AND MOLASSES CREAM
SERVES 6

This dessert is a tribute to the "gingerbread" houses that dot the historic Oak Bluffs Methodist campground where I summer.

GINGERBREAD
Butter (for the pan)
1 cup dark molasses
1/2 cup boiling water
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch-square baking pan.

Pour the molasses into a medium-size heatproof bowl and add the boiling water. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt in a sifter or finemesh sieve and sift into the molasses mixture. Add the butter and brown sugar and beat well with an electric mixer until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before slicing.

TOPPING
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons dark molasses
2 cups blueberries

In a large bowl, whip the cream with an electric mixer until it begins to thicken. Drizzle in the molasses and continue to whip until stiff , smooth peaks form. The mixture will be a khaki color.

Cut the gingerbread into squares and place on individual plates. Spoon a dollop of cream onto each and top with blueberries. Pass the remaining molasses cream.