Now I know most of you are familiar with fruit cobblers, but I wanted to share with you this recipe my husband came up with for a savory crabmeat cobbler. This is a great, easy summertime supper to serve with tomato salad and hot French bread.

Crabmeat cobbler

Makes 4 servings

• 4 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup chopped green onions
• ½ cup chopped celery
• ¼ cup chopped pimentos
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Salt and cayenne to taste
• 1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
• 8 flaky refrigerator biscuits
• ¼ cup grated aged white cheddar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Melt the butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add the green onions, celery and pimentos and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are just soft, about 6 minutes. Blend in the flour.

Slowly add the milk, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick and creamy.

Add the lemon juice and season with salt and cayenne. Gently stir in the crabmeat. Spoon the mixture into a lightly greased oval baking dish. Arrange the biscuits over the mixture and bake until they are golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the grated cheese. Let sit for a few minutes while the cheese melts. Serve warm.

STUFFED EGGPLANT BECHAMEL

Bechamel sauce:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat the butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until soft and golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Blend in the flour and milk and season with salt. Cook, stirring, until the mixture is thick and smooth. Set aside.

• 2 eggplants, each about 1 pound
• 1 cup of the béchamel sauce
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 cups coarse dried breadcrumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• White or black pepper to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 pound shrimp, boiled, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 pound lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
• Grated Parmesan cheese

Place the whole eggplants in a shallow pan and bake at 350 degrees until soft, 45 minutes to one hour. Remove from the oven and let cool. Cut off the stem ends. Cut each in half lengthwise and carefully scoop out the pulp, leaving about 1/4 inch of the flesh with the shells. Chop the pulp finely, then measure out two cups.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan and stir in the breadcrumbs. Add the eggplant pulp, seasonings and the bechamel sauce. Mix well. Add the shrimp and crabmeat and gently stir. Fill the eggplant shells with the mixture. Sprinkle generously with the Parmesan cheese.

Set the stuffed eggplants in a shallow baking pan and bake at 375 degrees until hot, bubbly, and lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes.