Yuletide on the Coast - Brief Article

On the beach, you can luxuriate in the mild coastal winter, matching the holiday to the habitat with watery hues, beach glass, and a sandy snowman. End as perfect day-before-Christmas with an easy dinner of cooked cracked crab accompanied by make-ahead sauces that also suit seasoned artichokes.

WREATH A dried see star and a 3-inch-wide silver ribbon make natural complements to springs of liver leaves. We used fine-gauge wire to attach overlapping stems to a wire wreath frame.

DESIGN: Francoise Krikman

SANDMAN The coastal version of a snowman is our diminutive sandman, made of two styrofoam bails connected by a toothpick, then covered with watered-down white glue and beach sand. The beach provided his accessories.

GIFT WRAPPING Glassine paper over plain paper gives our silver-ribboned boxes a watery sheen and a coastal palette.

TABLETOP Candles burn brightly, even in coastal breezes, when tucked inside cylindrical vases; beach glass surrounds them in a sea of green. Temporarily adding to the mood is a tiny koi in another cylindrical vase; he'll go back to his capacious aquarium before the day is over.

Text by Jil Peters Decor by James H. McCann, Jil Peters, and Lauren Bonar Swezey

Cracked Crab Platter

PREP TIME: About 5 minutes

NOTES: Have the crabs cleaned and cracked at the market; ask for the whole back shells to garnish the platter. If assembling up to 4 hours ahead, cover platter with plastic wrap and chill. Provide crab crackers or nut crackers to break shells further, containers to hold discarded shells, and damp towels or bowls of water to clean dirty hands at the table.

MAKES: 8 servings

Rinse 6 to 8 cooked Dungeness crabs in the shell (about 2 lb. each; see notes) under cool running water to remove loose bits of shell; pat dry. Arrange on a large platter and lay back shells on top. Garnish with lemon wedges.

For serving: 222 cal., 15% (34 cal.) from fat; 4.4 g protein; 3.8 g fat (0.5 g sat.); 0 g carbo; 606 mg sodium; 217 mg chol.

Seasoned Artichokes

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 1 hour

NOTES: If you don't have a 12- to 14-quart pan, cook half the artichokes at a time in a 6- to 8-quart pan. If making up to 1 day ahead, chill airtight. Arrange on a platter up to 4 hours head; cover with plastic wrap and chill or let stand at room temperature.

MAKES: 8 servings

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

2 dried bay leaves

8 whole allspice

8 artichokes (each 3 to 3 1/2 in. wide and about 12 oz.)

1. In a 12- to 14-quart pan (see notes), combine about 6 quarts water, vinegar, olive oil, peppercorns, bay leaves, and allspice. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.

2. Meanwhile, rinse artichokes well. Slice off and discard about 1 inch from tops; trim off stems. With scissors, cut off and discard remaining thorny tips from outer leaves.

3. Add artichokes to boiling water. Return to a boil, cover, and simmer until bottoms are tender when pierced with a fork, 25 to 30 minutes. Drain and let cool. Serve cool or cold.

Per artichoke: 68 cal., 7.9% (5.4 cal.) from fat; 4.5 g protein; 0.6 g fat (0.1 g sat.); 14 g carbo (7.1 g fiber); 128 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.

Cilantro-Lime Sauce

PREP TIME: About 10 minutes

NOTES: If making up to 1 day ahead, chill airtight.

MAKES: About 1 1/4 cups

In a blender or food processor, whirl 1/3 cup regular or reduced-fat mayonnaise, 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, 2 tablespoons sliced green onion, 1 tablespoon chopped peeled fresh ginger, 1 teaspoon grated lime peel, and 2 tablespoons lime juice until smooth. Pour into a bowl and whisk in 2/3 cup more mayonnaise; salt to taste.

Per tablespoon: 27 cal., 96% (26 cal.) from fat; 0.1 g protein; 2.9 g fat (0.4 g sat.); 0.3 g carbo (0.1 g fiber); 21 mg sodium; 2.1 mg chol.

Spicy Red Pepper Sauce

PREP TIME: About 5 minutes

NOTES: If making up to 1 day ahead, chill airtight.

MAKES: About 1 cup

In a blender or food processor, whirl 1/2 cup drained canned peeled roasted red peppers, 1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt, 1/2 teaspoon hot chili flakes, and 1 peeled clove garlic until smooth. Scrape into a bowl and whisk in 1/4 cup regular or reduced-fat mayonnaise and salt to taste.

Per tablespoon: 31 cal., 77% (24 cal.) from fat; 0,4 g protein; 2.7 g fat (0.4 g sat.); 1.2 g carbo (0 g fiber); 33 mg sodium; 2.2 mg chol.

Bearnaise Cream

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 15 minutes

MAKES: About 1 1/4 cups

1. In a 1- to 1 1/2-quart pan over medium heat, stir 1/2 cup minced shallots, 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar, and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon or 1 teaspoon dried tarragon until liquid evaporates, 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape into a bowl. Let cool to room temperature, 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Add 1 cup reduced-fat or regular sour cream, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, and 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar to tarragon-shallot mixture and mix well. Add salt to taste.

Per tablespoon: 25 cal., 56% (14 cal.) from fat; 0.9 g protein; 1.6 g fat (0.8 g sat.); 1.6 g carbo (0 g fiber); 43 mg sodium; 4 mg chol.