Cup Match is the season for locals to bring out all the customary cooking favourites from macaroni and cheese to barbecue chicken.To spice up the holiday season, The Royal Gazette asked four chefs to share with us some of their favourite recipes. They came up with some interesting new takes; from light crab and avocado cakes to specially spiced shark hash.So regardless of if you are supporting the Somerset or St George’s cricket team, you can bowl friends over with new dishes at the event of your choice be it the cricket game, beach, open house or camp site.Freelance personal chef Judith Wadson said she’s all about creating simple, healthy meals in the summer months.Most people want to enjoy fresh flavours, like watermelon and avocado, but probably want to avoid slaving away in a hot kitchen.Ms Wadson has been cooking healthy, gluten-free meals since 1996. She plans to spend the Cup Match holiday swimming, staying as cool as possible and eating gazpacho, one of her favourite refreshing foods.She hopes people take time out of the party weekend to try one of her simple treats and reflect on the Island’s Emancipation Day history. “It’s a time to enjoy our freedom, that is really the bottom line,” she said.Skewered Watermelon Chunks with Basil and Goat CheeseWhen making this dish it's easiest to work with cold watermelon and goat cheese. Melon can be cut and cheese shaped in advance. Don't put on the toothpick until just before serving. Basil should be added at the last second as it will be discolour if put in the refrigerator.Watermelon (preferably seedless and locally grown), cut into 1in (bite-size) chunksGoat cheese (preferably soft cheese from James Tucker's herd) rolled into ¼in ballsBasil leaf for each toothpickAssemble by putting a basil leaf between each piece of cheese and melon. Make to desired size, approximately three or four segments of fruit and cheese.Simple GuacamoleFor dipping with wedges of locally grown cucumber, skewered whole cherry tomatoes, crackers or tortilla chips. Alternatively, serve over lettuce and top with a piece of tomato for a first course.-2 ripe Haas avocados, seeded and skinned-1 clove garlic, minced-¼c fresh lemon juice-salt, pepper, to tasteFinely mash ingredients with fork or whizz in food processor until creamy. Serve.Cafe Ten’s Chef Mike Knight normally spends the Cup Match holiday at various friends’ houses or at the cricket match. Both days involve a generous portion of barbequeing, he said.When he has a chance to make any of his special dishes his friends love it. “I can’t keep enough of them around. If you have never had it from me, you have never had them at all.“It’s a total rock star,” he boasted. “It’s about the flavours. I take it to a different level by mixing the avocado and other special ingredients.”Chef Mikey’s Cup Match Crab CakesIngredients-5oz crab claw meat-¼ bunch cilantro-½ Bermuda sweet corn shredded-½ avocado-2 garlic cloves-1 tsp paprika-1 tsp ground coriander-1 lemon zested-¼ c breadcrumbs- Salt and pepper to tasteMethodIn a large mixing bowl, combine claw meat, avocado, lemon zest, sweet corn, seasonings, lemon zest and breadcrumbs. Mix thoroughly.Form 5 ounce patties out of the crab mixture and chill until cold before cooking.In a skillet, heat 4 tbs oil over medium heat. Sauté the crab cakes for four minutes on each side or until golden brown.Chef Mikey recommends serving the dish with cilantro and mango coulis and spiced potato chips.Culinary nutritionist Ashley Tucker typically spends the holiday weekend on the water with friends and family. Food is pretty vital in making the festivities a success. “Everyone has to eat and now is a time of celebration so people tend to indulge and enjoy themselves.”Ms Tucker has recently been incorporating more raw foods into her diet but describes herself as a pescatarian (one who eats seafood, but no other meats).She said people could do a variety of things to make Cup Match meals more healthy, like swapping whole grains for traditional pastas or adding pumpkin or goat’s cheese into their macaroni and cheese.“I try to use whole grains and incorporate as much fresh fruit and vegetables into my cooking and there are lots of different options for people to make their holiday meals more healthy,” she said.Pumpkin SlawMakes four to six portions1lb pumpkin, julienne1 granny smith apple, diced½ lb walnuts, toasted, roughly smashed2 stalks celery, finely diced1 tbs yoghurt, Greek low-fat1 tbs mayo, low-fat or vegenaise¼ tsp black pepper, freshly ground1 tsp honey, local or agave syrup½ tsp liquid aminos or sea salt½ lemon or lime juiced½-1 tbs onions, finely dicedMethod of preparation:Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl and enjoy.You can add finely sliced cabbage or grated carrots into this slaw too (¼ pound) .Can keep in fridge for one to two days, but immediate consumption is ideal.Add a teaspoon of your favourite spicy mustard if you like. Or to make it lactose-free, take out the yoghurt and add additional vegenaise or juice and oil. You can also inject flavour by utilising the rinds of the citrus fruits and by adding cilantro.Fairmont Southampton chef Herbie Bascome has been cooking for more than four decades. He said the hotel chefs usually cook special Cup Match dishes for the staff on the Wednesday before Cup Match, such as shark hash, conch stew and mussel pies.The conch stew normally has a light curry flavour while the shark hash has a unique blend of spices in it, he said.Mr Bascome will likely be going to Somerset Cricket field over the Cup Match holiday and enjoying the festivities with friends. “Food is very important because people look forward to certain types of Bermuda foods that they can only get during the Cup Match holiday.”Bermuda Shark Hash2 small sharks or (10lbs of shark meat) cleaned8 oz finely chopped onions24oz finely chopped red, yellow and green peppers8 oz finely chopped sweet potatoes8 oz finely chopped pumpkins4 bunches finely chopped parsleyfinely chopped pepper leaves3 tbs thyme1 c shark or olive oilMethodWash shark and liver. Remove small green gall from liver as this is bitter. Fry liver over very low heat to extract oil, for approximately 20 minutes. Let cool.Remove heads and fins. Cut shark into steaks. Bring to boil in large pot, and boil for approximately 20 min. Then let cool.When shark is cool, remove skin and cartilage, squeeze out water with a cheese cloth.Cook the finely chopped onions, green yellow and red peppers, pumpkin and sweet potatoes in the shark oil or olive oil for approximately ten minutes, allow to cool.In a large bowl, add the flaked shark, the red hot peppers, pepper leaves and parsley and mix together. Serve as required.