May 2nd, 2010
Every single time I take a bite of a softshell crab I say that I love them better than lobster. When they are cooked right, there is nothing better. So sweet and plump with just a hint of fat. Really, that is how it is.
The softshell crab is a crustacean seafood. You can eat it whole if cooked after molting (shedding) its hard shell.
Crabs grow larger in size and their shells cannot expand, therefore, they shed their exterior and have a soft covering in a matter of days.
This is when they are perfect for eating. I don’t know how many years ago, but I do remember having my brother for dinner and I served him softshells but he really could not eat them. I guess the sight of eating a whole crab, including legs was not the thing for him.
The softshells I got tonight were from Jimmy Lynn’s Seafood Carry Out. They are located at 18226 Coastal Highway, Lewes. Tel. 302-644-9329. I wrote a post on Jimmy Lynn’s back on 7/31/09. If you would like to read it all you have to do is click on July under Archives and scroll down to the date. You can find Jimmy Lynn’s Seafood Carry Out on Facebook, as well.
Jimmy Lynn’s Seafood Carry Out is “home of the crabs with attitude”. Tonight’s choice was delicious. I just dredged them in a little gluten free flour with just a bit of Old Bay Seasoning and sauteed them. They were perfect.
Years ago I got a recipe for softshell crabs over linguine. It was given by Mancini’s located at 907 Coastal Highway, Fenwick Island, Delaware. Tel. 302-537-4224. Website is www.mancinisbop.com. That recipe was so good so here it goes:
Fresh Softshell Crabs over Linguine
4 fresh sofshell crabs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh garlic
1/2 cup flour (seasoned with salt and pepper)
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
juice of one lemon
Clean (or have the store do so) the softshells; dredge them in season flour (be generous with flour).
In a large skillet, melt butter. Add olive oil and garlic. When hot, saute softshells until slightly browned on both sides (approx. 5 minutes on each side).
Wheen crabs are browned, add wine, chicken stock and parsley. Saute until sauce thickens.
Finish with a squeeze of lemon.
Serve over linguine.
The above recipe is very good and so easy. Just adjust seasonings to your liking.
Remember to make it your own. Talk to you tomorrow, probably…..
April 27th, 2010
Part of writing my blog is my addition of recipes that could be begged, borrowed or stolen. I have always said that you should make the recipe your own; either adding or substracting ingredients, sometimes because you have to adjust to dietary regimens.
I bought 2 cookbooks by the same author. Her name is Katie Moose. I met her at the Hunt Cup in Baltimore, Maryland a couple of years ago. And, the books are Chesapeake’s Bounty and Chesapeake’s Bounty II. These books are available at Amazon. You may also e-mail Katie at kamoose@erols.com.
The cookbooks are full of information on Historical Facts on the Chesapeake Bay Region, its Historic Inns and Taverns, and the region’s wineries.
They are also not the only books Katie has written. Others are: Annapolis: The Guidebook, Eastern Shore of Maryland: The Guidebook, New England’s Bounty, Nantucket’s Bounty, and Maryland’s Western Shore: The Guidebook. She has also co-authored The Best of Newport.
Every time the weather gets a little cooler or rainy I always think that’s a call for a chowder. These soups stick to your ribs and they seem to cuddle you. Perfect for tonight’s dinner.
The Corn Chowder in the Chesapeake Bounty’s book turned out pretty good.
The recipe is as follows:
2 cups fresh corn (this time of the year, I used canned)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup raw potato, sliced
3 cups boiling water
4 slices of bacon
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup cream
1 cup milk
2 egg yolks, beaten
3 tablespoons butter
Parsley or chives (I used chives)
Fry the bacon in a large skillet and reserve 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat.
Crumble the bacon back in the skillet
Saute onion and potato with the bacon. Stir in the corn.
Add boiling water, sugar, salt and pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes.
Stir in cream and milk
Just before serving, stir in egg yolks and butter
Serve in bowls with parsley or chives for garnish
Adding 1/4 cup chopped red pepper adds color to the soup, but I did not do that.
Adding 1/2 teaspoon cayenne makes for a spicier chowder. I definitely, did that.
How did I make this chowder my own? I sprinkled paprika and I also added gruyere cheese as garnish, as well.
These chowders usually are more caloric, so I just had a bowl for dinner.
Of course, if you have dietary restrictions, please do adjust the recipe. This recipe is also gluten free.
I have leftovers, so that is another plus. It does serves about 6 people.
Talk to you later….you know I will….
April 7th, 2010
One of my favorites is Shad. This is the time of the year for this delicate fish and Shad is very popular in Maryland, Delaware and Virginia. You can only get it for about 6 or 7 weeks. The taste is so light; not fishy at all.
Shad spawns in rivers and traditionally it was caught along with salmon in set nets which were suspended from poles driven into the river bed and close to shore in tidal water. It is very bony, but I get mine, deboned. Some people like to cook the whole fish and in that case you would have to steam it in an oven for about 5 hours. The bones actually, disolve.
Shad is so flavorful that you really don’t need sauces, herbs or spices. It can be boiled, filleted and fried in butter or baked. The way I like is baked on a high heat; about 400 degrees. All I do is get a cookie sheet and line it with foil, then grease it a bit. Place the shad on the cookie sheet and basted with melted butter, lemon and some paprika. That’s all. Cook it 10 minutes to the pound. Want to test it to see if it’s cooked? Just insert a fork and tug and if it gives then it is ready. So easy.
Shad Roe is the egg of the females. It is another favorite in my household. There are so many recipes available but I just bake it on a lined cookie sheet, in a high heat oven (400 degrees). The important ingredient here is bacon. I wrap bacon around the shad roe to keep it moist. Sprinkle pepper on it. Just bake it for about 20 minutes or until the bacon is cooked. You certainly do not want it dry. Then I cook a couple of extra bacon strips and put them on the side as a garnish.
Shad Planking? It is an annual political event inVirginia and it takes place in April, near Wakefield. It celebrates the James River running of shad. The shad is smoked on wood planks over an open flame.
The reason Shad Planking is a political event is because on the year of every gubernatorial election, would-be-candidates, lobbyists, campaign workers, and reporters gather in the town for shad planking in Wakefield.
Shad populations have been declining for years. It is due to blocked spawning areas by dams, habitat destruction/pollution, and overfishing.
Along with Shad and Shad Roe, my vegetable of choice is asparagus. Steamed and served with hollandaise sauce. The sauce is very easy to make, as well. Get your blender ready and put 3 egg yolks, juice of a lemon and a dash of cayenne pepper. In a small saucepan, melt a stick of butter or margarine. Turn the blender on to blend and with it running, pour the hot, melted butter or margarine and just blend it for a few seconds. That’s it.
If you like fish, then I think you will be happy with Shad and Shad Roe.
Note: Information on Shad and Shad Planking was taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shad and from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shad_Planking
Talk to you later…
April 3rd, 2010
A Brunch is the perfect start for any day, but Sunday is the day we usually pick for this type of eating. Here, in Rehoboth Beach, a lot of the restaurants will be serving brunch on Easter Sunday just like everywhere else.
But why is it that we have this obsession with brunch? Is it because we are too lazy to cook on a Sunday; kill two birds with one stone? Breakfast and lunch? To tell you the truth on Sunday, I want to keep it simple. You can call it anything you want but to me having a good, full bodied, cup of coffee, seasonal fruits, baked goods and Rapa Scrapple, is what I would call the perfect brunch.
Rapa Scrapple? What is it? Well, it is one of my favorite breakfast meats. Rapa is the brand name and to me there is no other like it. Scrapple is a pork product and the company is in Bridgeville, Delaware. Two brothers started this company in 1926; Ralph and Paul Adams. The plant is still in Bridgeville and it is the largest producer of scrapple in the world.
I had the first taste of Rapa Scrapple in the island of Exuma, Bahamas, in 1974. We were visiting friends and they had brought scrapple from Baltimore, MD. I have loved it ever since and my family is a big fan, as well.
My favorites are the original and the hot and spicy. I like it thin and crispy; definitely, not mushy. I hope Missy is reading this blog, because I know she likes scrapple as much as I do. She might even comment on the blog.
I also like scrapple sandwiches. Thin bread, not toasted and a little bit of ketchup, would make it the perfect scrapple sandwich.
Mark your calendar because this year’s Apple Scrapple Festival in Bridgeville will be Friday, October 8th and Saturday, October 9th. For more info. please visit their website www.rapascrapple.com.
Living at the beach, usually means that you have a couple of guests at your house from time to time. I know that I go the extra mile when I have guests. I really do want them to feel welcomed. So how do I make them feel special? Read on…
Mimosa
Chilled champagne and orange Juice. If you do not have time to squeeze your orange juice, the market has great choices. Just get a good one. Put 1/2 and 1/2 in champagne glasses and serve.
Kir Royale
A bottle of chilled champagne or sparkling wine. This is such a simple and timeless drink.
1 part creme de cassis
5 parts Champagne
Pour creme de cassis into a champagne glass and gentley pour champagne on top.
Easy Caramel Rolls
Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.
2 loaves frozen bread dough, thaw out and cut in pieces and placed in a well greased 9 x 13 inch pan.
Melt:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsps. milk
1 small package vanilla pudding (not instant)
Pour over dough. Let it rise for about 3 hours.
Bake for about 30 minutes.
Let it stand a few minutes and then turn out on a board, cut and serve.
Ground Ham on Pineapple Slices
Combine:
2 cups cooked ground ham
2 tsps. prepared mustard
4 tsps. mayonnaise
8 drained pineapple slices
Spread mixture on the pineapple slices. You want to put enough on each one to make a mound but cover the whole pineapple slice.
Bake slices in a greased pan in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes or so.
The combination of the ham and pineapple is delicious. It is a quick meal, as well. Very versatile; not just for breakfast.
Enjoy it with friends; it tastes better that way….Happy Easter!!
March 26th, 2010
You must be thinking that I must be nuts thinking about food at 11:20 p.m. on a Friday night but I was just thinking what could I make this week-end since I was going to be out and about; like in Baltimore, for the day.
On a chilly week-end this pasta dish might be considered comfort food but even though it might sound heavy, you will be surprised how tasty it actually is.
Brie Pasta
1 lb Brie cheese, rind removed, chopped into small pieces
5 ounces sundried tomatoes in oil, drained, cut into thin strips (you might be able to get them already cut)
4 ripe tomatoes, cut into cubes
1/2 cup Kalamata olives (pitted)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 tsp. pepper
2/3 cup olive oil
1 lb. linguine (you can use another pasta, if you wish; I use gluten free pasta)
Freshly grated fontina or Parmesan cheese to taste
In a large bowl, combine Brie cheese, sundried tomatoes, tomatoes, olives, garlic, basil, pepper and olive oil. Cover and let it sit at room temperature for about 2 hours.
Prepare pasta according to package directions.
Drain pasta and immediately toss with tomato mixture.
Serve immediately with grated cheese.
Serves about 5 to 6 people.
Remember to always make it your own and enjoy it!!! Talk to you later….
March 15th, 2010
I don’t pretend to be Irish. I don’t remotely look Irish but St. Patty’s Day is one of those days when I do like to eat like the Irish.
I have a few recipes for that special day given to me by Louise, my mother in law. No, she is not Irish either.
Before I give you those recipes; and I am giving them out way in advance so that you have time to go to your favorite market and get all the ingredients, I want to tell you what I found out.
“The earliest Irish immigrants to Delaware were the Scots-Irish, who arrived in the 17th century as indentured servants. The Reverend Francis Makemie, who was born in Ramelton, County Donegal, Ireland in 1658, arrived in Philadelphia in 1683 to minister to them. He then joined with six other ministers and began to form the first United States Presbytery to minister to them. By 1706 the New Castle Presbytery was officially established in Delaware, though its earliest Church had already been built in 1654.” This information was taken from the Irish Culture Club of Delaware, whose mission is “Promoting the spread of Irish Culture and Traditions among ourselves and friends of the Irish.” Please visit their website www.irishde.org for much more information.
Irish Spiced Corned Beef
4 to 5 lb. corned beef
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
2 tblsps. molasses
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. peppercorns
1 tsp. celery seed
6 cloves
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 tsp. mustard seed
1/2 tsp. allspice
Put beef in a shallow pan. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over beef. Cover and refrigerate overnight, turning once.
Place beef and marinade in deep pan; add enough water to cover beef.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 3 1/2 to 4 hours, until tender.
Note: Approximately 2 servings per pound.
Serve with Colcannon.
Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish. It is made from mashed potatoes, kale or cabbage, butter, salt and pepper. It can contain other ingredients such as milk, cream, leeks, onions, chives, garlic, boiled ham or Irish bacon. The song Colcannon, also called The Skillet Pot, is a traditional Irish song that has been recorded by many artists.
Colcannon
Butter for greasing heatproof platter or shallow casserole
1/2 small head of cabbage, thinly sliced and cut in 1″ pieces
5 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut in chunks
5 tbsps. butter cut in pieces
1 bunch green onions sliced with some green
salt and white pepper to taste
1 cup grated Irish cheddar or Havarti cheese
Boiled baby carrots – optional
Grease an ovenproof platter or shallow casserole with buter or margarine. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cook cabbage in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 2 minutes. Scoop out cabbage and reserve cooking liquid. Drain in colander.
Cook potatoes in the same pot in the cabbage water until tender. Drain and mash in a ricer or electric mixer (not a food processor), adding the pieces of butter.
Stir in drained cabbage and green onions. Season to taste with salt and white pepper, if you want to.
Spread mixture on prepared platter or casserole. Sprinkle with cheese.
Bake until dish is heated and cheese bubbles, about 25 minutes.
If desired, surround mixture with boiled and drained baby carrots.
Makes 8 servings.
Baked Corned Beef Brisket
1 corned beef brisket
1/2 cup brown sugar
6 tbsps. prepared mustard
whole cloves
ginger ale – about 1/2 cup
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Remove meat from package and place on a rack in a pan, fat side up. Cover with aluminum foil, sealing foil to edges of pan. Bake for 2 1/2 hours.
Mix brown sugar and mustard well.
After brisket has cooked for 2 1/2 hours, uncover it, score the fat into diamond shapes and place a clove in the center of each diamond.
Cover top and sides of meat with the brown sugar mixture.
Return meat to oven and roast an additional 30 to 45 minutes, until well glazed.
Remove from the oven and let it cool for about 15 minutes. Slice and remember to always slice meat across the grain.
Makes 4 to 6 servings, depending on the size of the brisket.
This dish pairs well with the Colcannon recipe, given above.
Well, maybe you don’t feel like cooking. That’s understandable; in that case the following are a few of the Irish Pubs at the beaches.
Delaware Beaches
In Lewes — Irish Eyes, 213 Anglers Rd., – www.irisheyes.com
In Lewes — The Greene Turtle, 17388 N. Village Main Blvd. #21 at the Village of Five Points – http://thegreeneturtle.com
In Milton — Irish Eyes, 105 Union St., – www.irisheyescom and remember that Milton is north of Rehoboth and Lewes.
In Rehoboth — Finbar’s Irish Pub, 316 Rehoboth Ave., – www.finbarspub.com
In Rehoboth — Irish Eyes, 52 Rehoboth Ave., – www.irisheyes.com
In Rehoboth — Stoney Lonen Irish Pub & Eatery, 208 Second St., – www.stoneylonen.com
In Fenwick Island — Smitty McGee’s Raw Bar & Restaurant, Rt. 54 West Fenwick – www.smittymcgees.com
Ocean City, Maryland
Finnegan’s Irish Pub & Eatery, 4810 Coastal Highway (could not find a website)
The Greene Turtle, 11601 Coastal Highway – For other locations, please visit http://thegreeneturtle.com
Shenanigan’s Irish Pub & Grille, 4th Street & the Boardwalk (at the Shoreham Hotel) – www.ocshenanigans.com
“There once was a man from O.C., Who knew how to eat and drink free. He came to the pub, got a pint and some grub, and then borrowed the money from me.” by Seamus O’Twain (taken from Shenanigan’s website)
Note: Information on Colcannon was taken from www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colcannon.
Have a Good One!! Talk to you later…
February 22nd, 2010
Bored and don’t know what to make this week for dinner? Sometimes it is such a chore. Believe me, I like to cook but plenty of times I really don’t make up my mind until the last minute. Some people don’t give it another thought; they figure it is just another meal. But to me it is the experience of making something from scratch; not opening another package loaded with salt, fat and “seasonings”. I like to see what I am chopping. I like to smell my food cooking and the combinations of foods on my plate.
Keeping it simple is the best way to go about it. So, the following recipes are easy and I think you might like them.
Baked Chicken Breasts With Parmesan Garlic Crust
1 cup breadcrums, fresh are the best
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese (grate it yourself, it is better)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 6-7 oz. each
1/4 cup minced fresh basil
1/4 mayonnaise
lemon wedges for serving
Adjust oven rack to upper middle position. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl.
Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Place in a 9″ x 13″ baking dish.
Combine mayonnaise and basil in a small bowl and spread evenly over chicken.
Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over mayonnaise, pressing lightly.
Bake for about 1/2 hour until the crust gets a nice brown color. Since you are cooking on a higher heat, please make sure you check them so they don’t burn.
Serve it with a nice salad. This recipe is good at any time of the year.
Shrimp and Tomato Chowder
2 stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 13.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano, undrained
8 ouces medium and peeled, cooked shrimp
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup water
ground pepper
slivered fresh basil
In a large saucepan, cook celery and onion in hot oil until just tender.
Stir in tomatoes; heat through.
Add shrimp, cream and water. Cook over medium heat until hot.
Season to taste with pepper.
Ladle chowder into bowls; garnish with basil.
Makes 2 to 4 four servings depending how hungry you are or if you are serving as a main meal. You can easily double this recipe.
Note: If you can get foccacia wedges from the grocery store or an Italian market, it would really complement the chowder.
Smithfield Ham and Potato Casserole
8 large potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8″ thick
1 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup mayonnaise
2 cups diced Smithfield ham
1 small onion, minced
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Cook the potatoes in slightly salted (optional) water until barely tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and put in a large bowl.
Add remaining ingredients and mix together.
Place in a well greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Watch closely so the cheese does not burn. You may choose to cover the dish for the last 15 minutes of baking.
Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Makies 8 to 10 servings.
Again, this is one of those dishes you might want to adjust to your tasting. You may even substitute the Smithfield ham but that its up to you.
You can use this dish as a side dish or for breakfast with fresh fruit. It could be served at dinner time with fresh asparagus and a salad.
Make it your own and enjoy….See you soon…
February 16th, 2010
It does not matter where you find yourselves, either at the beaches, the mountains or on the bayou, but you have to admit that Carnival is that special time of the year where a celebration is needed. And, Fat Tuesday is definitely a celebration.
Mardi Gras or Carnival are the celebrations that start on or just after the Epiphany and end on Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras is the French for Fat Tuesday; it is the last night of eating richer and fatty foods before fasting during Lent. In English the name is Shrove Tuesday; confession before Lent begins.
In celebration of Fat Tuesday, my menu tonight will be Shrimp Creole with white rice and spinach salad.
My family loves this recipe. I first had it at my old neighbors’ house in Bethany Beach many years ago, the Rooneys. She had been married to a Cajun and had perfected this type of cooking, with heat and strong flavors being the main ingredients.
My Shrimp recipe is from the book by Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Louisiana Kitchen. He elevated Louisiana cooking to an international level. He opened his K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen restaurant in the late 70’s. The recipe serves 10 but you can adjusted to half that amount, but I never do since leftovers are so good. I think the flavor just gets better. The other thing you might want to do is substitute some of the fats for leaner fats like olive oil; don’t change the butter, it really adds to it by enriching the flavor of the dish.
Shrimp Creole (a lot of ingredients but don’t be intimidated; it will be easy)
3 1/2 lbs. medium shrimp (I buy the easy to peel shrimp)
2 1/2 cups Basic Shrimp Stock (see below)
1/4 cup chicken, fat, pork lard or beef fat (substitute olive oil)
2 1/2 cups finely chopped onions
1 3/4 cup finely chopped celery
1 1/2 cups finely chopped green bell peppers
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons salt (you can adjust this portion)
1 1/2 teaspoons white pepper
1 teaspoon ground red pepper (preferably cayenne)
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons dried sweet basil leaves
3 cups finely chopped tomatoes (this time of the year use canned)
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
For an easy and flavorful stock: Peel the shrimp and put shells in a large saucepan. Set shrimp aside. Add enough chicken broth to make 2 1/2 cups. Cut an onion in half and add it without peeling it. Add a few celery ribs and a bay leaf. Cover and cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes then turn it off and let it just sit there while you prepare the rest of the recipe. Drain, reserve stock when ready to use.
Heat the fat or other fat over high heat. I really substitute that fat in the recipe for olive oil and then as an extra I add a little bit of sausage and let it crumbled up in the olive oil. Probaly just about 2 tablespoons.
Once the fat is heated, then add 1 cup of the onions and cook over high heat for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. The onions should take a rich brown color, but don’t burn them.
Add the remaining onions, the celelry, bell peppers and butter. Cook over medium high heat until the pepper and the celery start to get tender. Stir.
Then, add garlic, bay leaf, salt and peppers; stir well.
Now, add the Tabasco, thyme, basil and 1/2 cup of the stock. Cook over medium heat. What you are trying to do is marry these seasonings and at the same have the veggies brown further.
Add the tomatoes, then turn the burner to low and cook for 10 minutes, stirring and scrapping the bottom.
Add tomato sauce and stir for a few minutes and then add the remaining 2 cups of stock and sugar. Continue to simmer for about 10 minutes.
The perfect way to cook the shrimp for this dish is to add them now, turn the heat off and let the shrimp stay there until plump and pink. It will take only about 5 to 10 minutes because the sauce is so hot.
Serve it over rice and a side spinach salad.
Note: This dish is perfect for a party, granting you don’t have a guest with a seafood allergy. You can assemble it up to the point before adding the shrimp. Just put it in the refrigerator and the next day heat it and then add the shrimp just as I mentioned above.
This recipe is not hard. You just have to chop and add here and there. Once you make it and adjust it to your taste, you will love it. You want less heat then do so by adjusting the peppers.
Happy Fat Tuesday!!! Talk to you later…..
 
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