BOUNTY OF THE BAY

BOUNTY OF THE BAY

CHESAPEAKE BLUE CRAB




BLUE CRAB
There's nothing more “Chesapeake” than the Bay's signature, the blue crab. Callinectes (“beautiful swimmer”) sapidus (“savory”), a member of the swimming crab family, is an aggressive, bottom-dwelling predator and a "keystone" species in the Bay food web.
How To Pick Crabs
Steamed Maryland crabs are definitely not fast food. They are also not for very formal people. After all, you will be eating right off the table with your hands. A Maryland crab feast should be a leisurely afternoon or evening spent with good company. It is practically a seasonal rite for most residents and regular visitors to the Eastern Shore. Of course, you might find you are a bit slow when you start. The first time eating a steamed Maryland crab, you may want the help of a veteran picker. They will probably have a good laugh at your expense while you learn, but by the end of the meal you will be having such a good time it won't matter. And after just a few bites of the sweet treat, you'll be hooked on this Chesapeake delicacy.
Prepare The Table: Steamed crabs are probably best eaten outside at a picnic table because they can be a bit messy. Have a trash can near by. Lay down the following in the order given:
Plastic table cloth to keep juices from dripping through - Brown craft paper or paper grocery bags cut open - Dump a pile of crabs on the table for folks to eat or serve from a large tray or bowl.
Select a Crab: Take a nice heavy crab, just out of the pot and steaming. Remove the claws and set aside for later. You'll need a crab knife (a butter or steak knife will do). A wood crab mallett will be helpful for cracking the claws. Also be sure to have lots of beer and/or soda on hand.
Getting Started: Pull the big pincher claws off the crab and save for later. Pull the hind legs (the back fin) off with a twisting motion. Sometimes some meat will come out with it - bite that off. Yum!
Pull Off The Other Legs: Some folks will snap open the legs for a small bite of meat - but there isn't much there so you might wait till you get faster at this. Throw away the legs and move on...
Remove The Apron: Turn the crab over so you're looking at the bottom. Insert the tip of your knife into the apron. Pull it up and back. This detaches the top shell.
Remove the Top Shell: Turn the crab over again, right-side up. Now you can take off the top shell and discard it.
Removing the Gills: You'll see the gills and mustard. Using your knife, clean these away.
Eating The Crab Meat: Take the remaining crab in your hands. Snap it in two and all that luscious crab meat will be revealed. You can use your knife to peel the shell away from the meat, or... Using your knife, slice each half in half again lenthwise. Use your knife to pick the meat from the shells.
Eating The Claws: Don't forget the claws you set aside. Use your knife and wooden mallet to crack them open. There are two main sections in the claw - ignore the elbow. Place the sharp edge of your knife in the middle of one section. Tap the dull side of your knife with the mallet until the shell breaks. (This takes practice - not too hard - not too light.) Pull the exposed meat off with your fingers or your teeth.
Clean Up: Roll up your craft paper and all the discarded shells and paper towels and put it in the trash outside. Be sure you don't throw away any knives or mallets etc. Hose down your table cloth and the general area and pick up any shells.
When you're finished - plan your next feast right away.

CHESAPEAKE BAY WATERMEN




COMMERCIAL CRABBERS & HAND LINERS
A commercial crab potter is allowed to fish three hundred pots per person and up to nine hundred per boat. Crab Potting is hard work, not only in the bay but also on the shore. Crab Pots have to be cleaned constantly and a crabber spends as much time cleaning and repairing pots as he does fishing them.A Crab Pot is two foot square made out of hex (chicken wire) or square wire and has funnels that allow the crabs to enter the pot for the bait. The Crab Pot has upper and lower chambers with a petition (forbay) separating the lower and upper chambers, so the crabs cannot easily get out after they enter the pot for the bait. The pots are baited with menhaden or other bait fish and/or razor clams.The season is from the first of April to the last of Nov. The size limit on crabs is five inches, anything under that has to be returned to the bay.

FEASTING ON THE SIDE


LOBSTER- SUCCULENT AND SWEET

CHESAPEAKE BLUE CRAB TATER TOT

FISH SOUFFLE

BAKED CRAB DISHES


ST. JAMES CREPES - CRAB AND SHRIMP

JUMBO LUMP PREMIUM CRABMEAT

PASADENA'S CRAB IMPERIAL
1 lb. crab meat, 2 slices white bread, 2 eggs, beaten, 4 t. mayonnaise, 1 t. prepared mustard, 1 t. salt, 1 t. black pepper, 1 t. Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 t. chopped parsley, White Sauce (see recipe below) 1/2 t. paprika - Pick crab meat carefully to remove any shells without breaking up lumps. Cut bread into cubes, discarding crust. Combine eggs, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, pepper and Worcestershire in a medium bowl. Add bread and parsley. Fold in crab meat carefully to prevent breaking. Spoon into individual dishes. Top each with 1/2 teaspoon White Sauce. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake in a preheated 350°F. oven for 15-20 minutes. White Sauce, 1 c. milk, 2 t. butter, 2 t. flour, pinch of salt. Heat milk in a small saucepan. In another saucepan, combine butter, flour and salt and cook, stirring over medium heat. Do not cover. Add hot milk in a stream, stirring constantly until mixture is smooth and thick.

BLUE CRAB SALADS


MAYONNAISE ~ SALT & PEPPER ~ LEMON
RIPE STUFFED HEIRLOOM TOMATO

SERVED ON BAKED WARM CROISSANT

FRIED SOFT CRABS


HOT CAST IRON FRYING PAN
As crabs grow larger, their shells cannot expand, so they molt the exteriors and have a soft covering for a matter of days when they are vulnerable and considered usable. Fishermen often put crabs beginning to molt aside, until the molting process is complete in order to send them to market as soft-shells. Crabs should be kept alive until immediately before cooking so they are fresh. Usually crabs must be eaten within four days of molting to be useful as soft-shell crabs. They begin to rebuild their shells after that, and when eaten, have a thin shell. These are often referred to as "papershells" or "tinbacks" and are more crunchy when eaten, making them less desirable to some. In order for a hard crab to grow, it must periodically shed its old shell (molt) in order to grow a larger shell. Following a successful molt, the crab's new shell is extremely soft. After several days in the water, the new shell fully hardens and is about one-third larger in size.
Dredge cleaned soft crabs and dip in flour and salt and pepper - melt butter in pan and place crabs skin side down under low heat - squeeze lemon regularly in pan and over crabs - when cooked (15 minutes) turn over and again lemon - do not cook over a high heat and add butter as necessary - when done (another 15 minutes) remove and place toasted bread in pan - place crabs on toast when soft - put on plate with trimmings - Enjoy!

STEWS AND SOUPS


RED VEGETABLE CRAB SOUP

LUMP CREAM OF CRAB SOUP
4 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons flour, 2 cups whole milk, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 cup half-and-half, 1/4 teaspoon lemon celery seasoning, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, 4 tablespoons sherry1 pound lump backfin crabmeat.Melt butter and stir in flour. Add milk and salt and bring to a boil. Add half-and-half, seasonings, sherry, and crabmeat. Heat thoroughly, but do not boil. Offer a small cruet of sherry for those who would like an extra splash.

LOBSTER BISQUE

SPRY CHEEZUM'S ORIGINAL OYSTER STEW
1 pint shucked oysters with their liquor, 1 pint half-and-half, butter, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay seasoning - In a saucepan heat oysters with their liquor until the edges curl. In another saucepan heat half and half over medium heat until hot. Place oysters in individual serving bowls; pour heated half and half over oysters. Melt a pat of butter on each serving; add a dash of worchestershire sauce and Old Bay seasoning to taste. Onion and potatoes etc. are also good to add.

ODDS AND ENDS






STEAMED CRABS



STEAMING CRABS
Fill a crab steamer with 1 part water and 1 part apple cider vinegar. Heat on high until the liquid comes to a full rolling boil. Add live hard shell crabs to the steamer sprinkling each layer generously with the dry seasoning mix.
Note that you can easily make your own steamer. Just use any large pot with a makeshift floor to keep the crabs out of the steaming liquids.
Cover and wait for wisps of steam to escape from under lid, about 10 minutes. Continue cooking over high heat for an additional 20-30 minutes until crabs turn bright orange. If shells are dark red or have reddish-green patches, then the crabs are not yet fully cooked.
Remove crabs from steamer and place on a large platter and sprinkle lightly with the dry seasoning mix. It is best to eat the crabs on a
newspaper-covered table which makes cleanup a snap--simply roll up your "table cloth", scraps and all, and toss in the trash. Serve with saltine crackers, small containers of apple cider vinegar (some people like to dip the crab meat into it) and plenty of cold beverages!

MARYLAND CRAB CAKE


THE CLASSIC CRAB CAKE
1 egg, 2 heaping tablespoons mayonnaise, 1 heaping teaspoon prepared yellow mustard, 1 tablespoon cream, salt and pepper to taste, 1 slice bread, toasted and crumbled, 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped, 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 pound fresh lump backfin.
Mix together all ingredients except crab. Stir in crab and form into 4 patties. Fry in cooking oil until golden, about 5 minutes on each side.

A PURIST DELIGHT
1 pound lumb crabmeat, 1 egg beaten, crab seasoning to taste
Mix the ingredients together, seasoning to taste. Form mixture into 2 8-ounce crab cakes. Place crab cakes on a preheated, oiled frying pan. Cook over medium heat on both sides until browned, approximately 5 to 10. Serve hot.

A TRADITION WITH CRABS


Maryland Pan Fried Oysters - 1 1/2 pints (24 ounces) shucked Maryland oysters, 2 eggs, beaten, 2 tablespoons milk, 1 teaspoon salt, dash pepper, 1 1/2 cups dry bread crumbs, 1 1/2 cups flour, margarine, butter, or oil, for frying. Drain oysters. Mix egg, milk and seasonings in a bowl. In another bowl, mix bread crumbs and flour. Roll oysters in crumb mixture, dip in egg mixture, and then roll again in crumb mixture. Fry over medium heat, in just enough hot fat to keep from sticking until brown on one side, 3-5 minutes. Turn carefully and brown the other side 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and serve immediately.

Maryland Pan Fried Chicken - Mary Randolph, in the third printing of "Virginia House-Wife" (1828), told how to make fried chicken. Very simply, the chickens are cut up, dredged in flour, sprinkled with a little salt, put in a skillet with hot fat, and fried until golden brown. Through the years there have been hundreds of attempts to improve upon her recipe, and plenty of tricks and special touches, but they are all simply minor variations on the original. Mary Randolph mentions making a gravy with the "leavings", but the cream sauce so often served with fried chicken seems to have originated with the dish "Maryland fried chicken". In the cookbook, "Fifty Years in a Maryland Kitchen" (Baltimore, 1873), the only fried chicken recipe calls for a sauce made of butter, cream, parsley, salt and pepper.

SLOW COOKED BEEF RIBS



GRILLED BEEF RIBS - FULL SIZE & SHORT
Beef ribs are the largest of all ribs, each measuring 8 to 10 inches long. They are what are left over when the butcher cuts out a rib roast. There are 7 ribs to each side of beef. The secret to great beef ribs is to cook them slow. This makes it tender and flavorful. You should probably use a drip pan to prevent flare-ups because beef ribs have a lot of fat that will burn quickly.
Prep Time: 20 minutes - Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Ingredients: 4 pounds beef short ribs, 1/2 cup dry red wine, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 3 cloves garlic, minced, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
Preparation:In a non-reactive bowl combine everything but the ribs. Mix well. Place the ribs in a shallow baking dish and pour the marinade over them. Make sure the ribs are evenly coated. Refrigerate for a two to four hours. Preheat grill and prepare for indirect grilling. When the grill is hot remove ribs from marinade and place on grill to cook indirectly. Discard marinade. Cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours turning every 15 minutes.

TOMATOS WITH MOZZARELLA CHEESE & BASIL



HEIRLOOM TOMATOS
Summer is tomato and basil season, and there is nothing better than heirloom tomatoes with fresh basil from the garden and fresh mozzarella cheese. What are "heirloom tomatoes"? Heirloom tomatoes are what tomatoes used to be before all of the variety and flavor were bred out of them so they could be more easily transported in trucks to supermarkets. You can find them at farmers' markets and at Whole Foods, or you can grow your own. They come in many shades of red, yellow, orange, and green, and are somewhat oddly shaped compared to everyday beefsteak tomatoes.
Heirloom Tomato Basil Mozzarella Salad Recipe - Ingredients: Heirloom tomatoes, slicedFresh basil, leaves carefully chopped as not to bruise fresh mozzarella cheese, slicedExtra virgin olive oil, balsamic wine vinegar, salt and pepper.
Method: Assemble the salad with slices of tomatoes, basil leaves, and mozzarella slices. Sprinkle extra virgin olive oil over the salad. Add a dash of vinegar and a very light sprinkling of salt and pepper. For a completely different flavor, you can substitute the mozzarella with thin slices of Parmesan.

BAY SCALLOPS





PAN- SEARED SCALLOPS ~ CHAMPAGNE GRAPES & ALMONDS
16 large sea scallops, side muscles removed, 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided1-1/2 tablespoons minced shallots, 2/3 cup champagne grapes (4 ounces) or black grapes, halved1-1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1/3 cup slivered or sliced almonds, toasted1-1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, salt and pepper. Melt 3 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the butter until it is browned, about 2 minutes. Salt and pepper your scallops before adding them to the pan. Cook 2 minutes on each side and transfer to a dish, covering to keep warm.Melt the remaining 2 Tablespoons of unsalted butter in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and grapes; sauce until the shallots are golden brown, about one minute. Stir in fresh lemon juice and any accumulated scallop juice from the plate of cooked scallops. Bring to a boil and season with salt and pepper. Stir in almonds and parsley.Place scallops on individual plates and spoon the sauce over them. Serve immediately.

TIME FOR THE FINALE












ST. MICHAELS FOOLED THE BRITISH


BLACKBERRIES

STRAWBERRIES

BLUEBERRIES

TOWN CELEBRATED WITH RASBERRY "FOOLED"
1 quart rasberries, cleaned (can substitute fruit in season), 1 cup sugar, 3 cups heavy cream 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla - In a large saucepan over low heat cook fruit 30 minutes; stir and mash pulp occasionally. Blend in sugar until dissolved. Process in blender or food processor; force through a sieve to eliminate seeds, if desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve. In a large bowl whip cream with vanilla until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in rasberry puree. Do not overblend; mixture should have a marbled effect.

CLICK ON OLDER POSTS TO CONTINUE