By James Houck | Photography by Tony Lewis, Jr.
brbrEight years ago and on the heels of the annual Best Of contest voting, we developed the Chefs’ Challenge. A concept that would parlay the talent of the Best Chef winners for Annapolis and the Eastern Shore into a unique feature article for our August food-themed issue. This year’s Best Chefs to showcase their talents are Bobby Jones of The Point Crab House & Grill in Arnold and Mark Salter of the Robert Morris Inn in Oxford.
brbrEach chef has been tasked with developing a superb, multi-course menu using seasonal, local ingredients. And this year’s crop of dishes are exemplary, as you’ll see on the following pages. How they put together their menus will have you craving a visit to their fine restaurants or, at the very least, inspire you to get creative in your own kitchen. And (bonus alert), we’ve provided the recipes and instructions for making them. Enjoy learning about each dish in the words of each chef. Bon appetit!
Bobby Jones of The Point Crab House & Grill
brWash, dry, and chop frisee; hold in fridge.
brPlace in a bowl about 1 cup each of the watermelon, cantaloupe, and honey dew, diced. In a separate bowl zest and juice 2 limes. Add 3 tablespoons or so of sugar to zest and juice (should be about equal parts sugar to juice by volume). Stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Add sugar lime juice mixture to diced melons, toss, and hold in fridge.
brFor the melon puree: In a blender add about 1 cup rough cut cantaloupe and 1 cup rough cut honeydew. Squeeze in juice of 4 limes. Finely slice serrano into very thin discs. Take about six of the discs and chop them down, adding about 1 teaspoon of chopped serrano to the melon/lime juice mixture in the blender. Blend until smooth. While blender is running, slowly add grape seed oil until volume doubles. The color will become bright and the puree will gain some body. Taste and add more lime juice if necessary.
brClean scallops and pat dry. Lightly season one side and sear in a hot pan with some olive oil. Turn when edges become opaque and the color is a deep brown. Finish scallops on second side checking again for color; don’t overcook.
brToss the frisee with some of the melon puree and season with some kosher salt. Plate a small handful of dressed frisee. Spoon out some melon puree on the bottom of the plate alongside the frisee and top with dressed melons. Top melons with seared scallops. Garnish with fresh mint leaves and serrano slices.
brbrBreak down cheese into 2-oz blocks, about 1/2” thick and 1-1/2” square.
brIn three separate dishes prepare breading as follows: Dish 1, flour; Dish 2, eggs and milk; Dish 3, panko. Coat each cheese block in flour, then egg wash, then flour again, egg wash again, and finally in panko. Press panko firmly to create a solid coating.
brIn a food processor, combine blackberries, toasted pecans, honey, lemon juice, and cayenne. Process until smooth.
brPlace Manchego in a hot waffle iron and gently press top to close. Remove when golden brown.
brServe with sauce and fresh berries.
Tarragon Citrus Vinaigrette
brIn a food processor add juice from orange and lime, chopped tarragon, vinegar, and Dijon. While processor is running slowly add grape seed oil. Season with salt and pepper. Hold in fridge.
brClean and prep asparagus. Blanch for 4 minutes and shock in ice bath. Toss in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. With the grill on high heat, grill asparagus to lightly char, turning frequently and paying close attention not to burn.
brClean and fillet fish. Score skin side of fish. Season both sides of fillet with salt and pepper and fresh chopped tarragon. On medium high heat, with some olive oil, place porgie skin side down into sauté pan. Hold fish down in pan for a few seconds so the fillet remains flat and the skin sears evenly (it will curl back otherwise). Pay attention to the color of the sear and the edges of the fillet cooking—adjust your heat down if necessary. You want to get a good crispy skin without over or under cooking your fish.
brCombine greens, olives, beans, cheddar, cucumber, and tomatoes in a bowl. Dress salad with vinaigrette. Plate salad and top with grilled asparagus. Top asparagus with porgie fillet. Serve with croutons.
Herb & Roasted Garlic Aioli
brCoat garlic cloves in olive oil, season with salt and pepper, wrap in foil and roast in 450 oven for 5–7 minutes until browned and soft. Toss roasted garlic in food processor and add egg yolk, lemon juice, and Dijon. Combine two oils together. While processor is running slowly add combined oil. If aioli is too thick add a few drops of water to thin out. Chop about a tablespoon of fresh chives, parsley, and chervil and pulse in. Salt and pepper to taste. Hold aioli in fridge.
Quick Pickled Onion
brMix vinegar, sugar, and salt in a bowl until sugar and salt is dissolved. Slice red onion as thinly as possible—a mandolin works great for this but not necessary. Cover onions with vinegar, sugar, salt mixture. Cover and hold in fridge (at least 30 minutes or so).
brThinly slice ham into matchstick size strips.
brClean soft crab. Season crab with salt and pepper and coat in flour. Over medium high heat, add some olive oil. Once pan is hot, place soft crab in pan. Turn crab over after bottom crisps up and color becomes dark orange. When crab is a few minutes from being done add chopped shallots and ham to the pan. Once shallots are translucent, add garlic. Pay attention to ham, turn occasionally. After about 15 seconds, deglaze pan with white wine and lemon juice and reduce liquid until nearly gone. Reduce heat and add cold butter—stirring with tongs, bringing sauce together. Thoroughly coat crab with pan sauce.
brSlice brioche roll, butter the inside, and toast off the bread, butter side down in a pan on medium heat—like you would a grilled cheese sandwich. Assemble: place lettuce on bottom half of bread. This helps keep the bread from getting too wet. Place crab on lettuce with some of the pan sauce. Stack on some of the pickled onion, then the cured ham and top with the herb and roasted garlic aioli.
brIngredients:
brbrHeat a sauté pan, pour in the olive oil. Add the shrimp seasoning with kosher salt and pepper. Sauté the shrimp on both sides before deglazing with the Harissa and agave.
Wye Mills stone ground yellow grits:
brBring the water and the cream to a boil. Whisk in the yellow stone ground grits. Season with salt and pepper. Cook on a low heat stirring occasionally until cooked approximately 20 minutes. Finally stir in the Chapel Farms cheddar cheese.
brPick over the greens, season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over the olive oil and toss carefully. Spoon the cheddar grits into a warm bowl, arrange around the shrimp, drizzle with any excess Harissa glaze, and finish with the dressed Cottingham Farms Greens.
brIngredients:
brbrPreheat oven to 375F. Place the washed beets on a piece of aluminum foil and add the 4 Tbsp of olive oil. Bring the foil corners together and secure the bag so it is air tight. Place on a tray and bake in the oven, approximately 25–30 minutes or until beets are cooked. Remove from the oven. Once the beets are cool, peel and cut into quarters.
brRoll the goat cheese balls in the chopped fresh herbs and refrigerate.
Watermelon Radish:
brWash the watermelon radish, slice thinly. Boil the remaining ingredients for 1 minute. Cool, then add the sliced watermelon radish. Marinade in the liquid and leave to pickle overnight.
Goat Cheese Crema:
brMix all ingredients in the food processor except the oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place in a squeeze bottle and drizzle over the salad when needed.
brRemove the watermelon radish from the pickle and arrange on the plate. Place on the quartered beets; toss the salad with the lemon juice, salt, pepper, and blended oil. Arrange the goat cheese between the beets, sprinkle on the toasted walnuts, and drizzle with the goat cheese crema.
brIngredients:
Poaching liquor:
brSeason the rockfish lightly with kosher salt and black pepper. In a preheated pan, sear in olive oil until golden in color on each side. Mix together the butter, flour, English powder, Dijon, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and cayenne pepper. Add the beer and stir together. Pour into a sauce pan. Cook for one minute adding the grated cheddar cheese and the cream. Cook until cheese has melted and the crust is smooth in texture. Refrigerate. Take a couple of tablespoons of the crust and shape the same size as the top of the seared rockfish. Coat the top of the fish. Place the fish in a sauté pan and pour on the white wine and water, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer on the stove, then bake in a preheated oven 400F for 10 minutes.
Yellow Tomato Sauce:
brCook the sliced shallots and garlic in olive oil. Add the white wine and cook for 1 minute before adding the chopped yellow tomatoes, honey, and fresh basil leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Cook slowly on a low heat until the tomatoes are soft (approximately 20–25 minutes). Place in the blender and add 2–3 tablespoons olive oil. Season if necessary.
Vegetables:
brPeel the asparagus spears. Cut to one-third of their original length. Save the peelings and deep fry until crispy. Season with salt and pepper. Cook the spears of asparagus and the baby bok choy in lightly salted water. Drain, toss with the tomatoes halves, and a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Season if desired.
brIngredients:
Marinade
brbrPlace the chops in the oil with the herbs and the sliced garlic. Marinate for 1–2 hours.
Cooking the chops:
brSeason the chops with kosher salt and black pepper. Sear in oil on both sides, place a slice of Idaho potato, under each chop, and roast in a preheated oven 375F for 5–7 minutes until cooked to 140–145F internal temperature. Use a stem thermometer if desired to determine the final temperature.
Olive Oil Crushed Potatoes:
brWash the red bliss potatoes and chop into even size pieces. Simmer in boiling salted water until cooked. Drain off the water. While still hot, mix with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Keep the potatoes hot on a low heat until ready to serve or keep warm in a preheated oven 325F for 10 minutes. Place the crushed potatoes in a ring mould onto the plate. Remove the ring mould.
Carrot and Ginger Puree:
brPlace all the above ingredients into a saucepan and cook for approximately 10–15 minutes or until soft and most of the liquid has evaporated. Place in a blender and puree until smooth. If you don’t have a blender then use a food processor. (You may need to add a couple of tablespoons of water to allow the carrots to puree, if too much has evaporated during cooking.)
Roasted Jalapeño Sauce
brbrRub the jalapeño with olive oil and roast on a small frying pan in a preheated oven, 400F until blisters form, approximately 10–12 minutes. Remove from the oven and cover with aluminum foil. Peel the jalapeño, discard the seeds, and chop the flesh finely. Add to the barbecue sauce and season with salt and pepper. (One may add some of the seeds chopped to the sauce if more spice is desired.)
Barbecue Sauce:
brRemove the potato slices from the frying pan used earlier to cook the chops. Add 1/2 cup water and the barbecue sauce and cook until 1/2 cup remains. Finish with the finely minced jalapeño.
brbrFinish the plate with arugula tossed with olive oil, pinch of salt, and pickled watermelon radish. (See salad recipe for watermelon radish recipe.)
brIngredients:
brPreheat oven to 375F. Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and heavy cream. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and, using a wooden rolling pin, carefully roll to 1-1/2 inches in thickness. Cut out with a cookie cutter, place on a tray, and brush with whole milk. Sprinkle with raw cane sugar. Bake for 10–12 minutes until golden. Cool on a cookie rack. Cut in half.
Mixed Berry Sauce:
brRemove the tops from the strawberries, place in a sauce pan with the raspberries and blackberries. Add the water and the sugar. Simmer until berries are soft, approximately 15 minutes. Mix in a blender until smooth. Strain through a sieve to remove any pips.
brWash the strawberries, remove the tops and cut into quarters. Mix together with the mixed berry sauce. Beat the heavy cream with the vanilla and powdered sugar until peaks form. Pipe the cream onto the base of the shortcake. Spoon on the marinated strawberries followed by a little more cream. Garnish with half a strawberry for each shortcake. Place on the top and sprinkle with more powdered sugar.
_____________________________________________
brbrEight years ago and on the heels of the annual Best Of contest voting, we developed the Chefs’ Challenge. A concept that would parlay the talent of the Best Chef winners for Annapolis and the Eastern Shore into a unique feature article for our August food-themed issue. This year’s Best Chefs to showcase their talents are Bobby Jones of The Point Crab House & Grill in Arnold and Mark Salter of the Robert Morris Inn in Oxford.
brbrEach chef has been tasked with developing a superb, multi-course menu using seasonal, local ingredients. And this year’s crop of dishes are exemplary, as you’ll see on the following pages. How they put together their menus will have you craving a visit to their fine restaurants or, at the very least, inspire you to get creative in your own kitchen. And (bonus alert), we’ve provided the recipes and instructions for making them. Enjoy learning about each dish in the words of each chef. Bon appetit!
Bobby Jones of The Point Crab House & Grill
Seared Scallops with Melons, Serrano, Frisee, and Mint
“I came up with this dish for a recent wine dinner we did here at The Point. It came about after tasting a Sauvignon Blanc that had these delicious melon, bright acid, and tropical flavors. The sweet scallops and melon, the heat from the serrano, and the texture from the frisee make a great contrast of flavors, textures, and temperatures.”
Ingredients:
- brDry scallops
- brRed seedless watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe (Diehl’s Produce, Severna Park)
- brFresh mint (Chesapeake Greenhouse, Sudlersville)
- br1 head frisee lettuce
- br1 serrano pepper
- br6 limes
- brSugar
- brGrape seed oil
- brChili powder
- brKosher salt
brWash, dry, and chop frisee; hold in fridge.
brPlace in a bowl about 1 cup each of the watermelon, cantaloupe, and honey dew, diced. In a separate bowl zest and juice 2 limes. Add 3 tablespoons or so of sugar to zest and juice (should be about equal parts sugar to juice by volume). Stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Add sugar lime juice mixture to diced melons, toss, and hold in fridge.
brFor the melon puree: In a blender add about 1 cup rough cut cantaloupe and 1 cup rough cut honeydew. Squeeze in juice of 4 limes. Finely slice serrano into very thin discs. Take about six of the discs and chop them down, adding about 1 teaspoon of chopped serrano to the melon/lime juice mixture in the blender. Blend until smooth. While blender is running, slowly add grape seed oil until volume doubles. The color will become bright and the puree will gain some body. Taste and add more lime juice if necessary.
brClean scallops and pat dry. Lightly season one side and sear in a hot pan with some olive oil. Turn when edges become opaque and the color is a deep brown. Finish scallops on second side checking again for color; don’t overcook.
brToss the frisee with some of the melon puree and season with some kosher salt. Plate a small handful of dressed frisee. Spoon out some melon puree on the bottom of the plate alongside the frisee and top with dressed melons. Top melons with seared scallops. Garnish with fresh mint leaves and serrano slices.
Fried Manchego with Honey, Blackberry, and Pecan Sauce
“This dish was inspired from a trip my team and I took this past winter to Chicago. During our visit we stopped and ate and drank at several amazing spots. One particular favorite was The Purple Pig…ridiculous food. I’ve always loved queso frito and have thought about putting some sort of fried cheese dish on the menu. Wanting to stay away from the standard mozzarella, but not going with the straight Dominican/Columbian queso frito that I love…what to do became tricky. At the Purple Pig, Chef Bannos Jr. served his fried Manchego with a traditional Membrillo and it was crazy good. Manchego is firm, creamy, and has a great salt content, which contrasts perfectly with the sweetness of the honey and berries in the sauce. The pecans add another familiar level of flavor and the cayenne and lemon help with a touch of heat and pop of acid. Yummy stuff.”
Ingredients:
- br6 oz. Manchego cheese
- br1/4 Cup fresh blackberries (Diehl’s produce, Severna Park)
- br1/2 Cup honey (Jones Station Farm, Arnold)
- br1/4 Cup pecans (toasted)
- br2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- brPinch ground cayenne
- br2 Cups flour
- br2 eggs
- br1/2 Cup whole milk
- br2 Cups Panko breadcrumbs
brbrBreak down cheese into 2-oz blocks, about 1/2” thick and 1-1/2” square.
brIn three separate dishes prepare breading as follows: Dish 1, flour; Dish 2, eggs and milk; Dish 3, panko. Coat each cheese block in flour, then egg wash, then flour again, egg wash again, and finally in panko. Press panko firmly to create a solid coating.
brIn a food processor, combine blackberries, toasted pecans, honey, lemon juice, and cayenne. Process until smooth.
brPlace Manchego in a hot waffle iron and gently press top to close. Remove when golden brown.
brServe with sauce and fresh berries.
Grilled Asparagus Salad with Pan Fried Porgie
“Once spring hits, we can really start getting a lot more local produce in; it’s a great time of the year. This asparagus salad is a new dish on our Spring 2016 menu. There’s always the option to add a protein to our salad and when we can get in great local fish we always take advantage. This porgie is caught off the shores of Ocean City and really is a great ‘everyday eating’ kind of fish. It’s mild, flaky, easy to prepare, and has delicious skin. There are a couple bones to remove when filleting so be sure to get those out of the way. This is a great, light, fresh dish perfect for spring and summer. The olives and cheddar give an occasional surprising pop in contrast to the tarragon citrus vinaigrette. I love this salad. Simple and fresh with good balance.”
Ingredients:
- br1 whole fresh porgie (Ocean City)
- brEastern Shore asparagus (Diehl’s Produce, Severna Park)
- brRed Oak Leaf, Green Oak Leaf, Romaine (Chesapeake Greenhouse, Sudlersville)
- brCucumbers (Diehl’s Produce, Severna Park)
- brKalamata olives
- brCannellini beans
- brExtra sharp cheddar
- brGrape tomatoes
- brJuice of 1 orange
- brJuice of 1 lime
- br1/4 Cup fresh tarragon, chopped
- br2 Tbsp Champagne vinegar
- br1 Tbsp Dijon
- br1 Cup grape seed oil
- brBaguette for croutons
- brKosher salt
- brBlack pepper
Tarragon Citrus Vinaigrette
brIn a food processor add juice from orange and lime, chopped tarragon, vinegar, and Dijon. While processor is running slowly add grape seed oil. Season with salt and pepper. Hold in fridge.
brClean and prep asparagus. Blanch for 4 minutes and shock in ice bath. Toss in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. With the grill on high heat, grill asparagus to lightly char, turning frequently and paying close attention not to burn.
brClean and fillet fish. Score skin side of fish. Season both sides of fillet with salt and pepper and fresh chopped tarragon. On medium high heat, with some olive oil, place porgie skin side down into sauté pan. Hold fish down in pan for a few seconds so the fillet remains flat and the skin sears evenly (it will curl back otherwise). Pay attention to the color of the sear and the edges of the fillet cooking—adjust your heat down if necessary. You want to get a good crispy skin without over or under cooking your fish.
brCombine greens, olives, beans, cheddar, cucumber, and tomatoes in a bowl. Dress salad with vinaigrette. Plate salad and top with grilled asparagus. Top asparagus with porgie fillet. Serve with croutons.
Soft Crab Sandwich
“We will run a Soft Crab ‘BLT’ whenever we can get fresh soft crabs. The customers absolutely love it, and really appreciate those soft crabs. However, we can always get fresh soft crabs in the spring before we can get fresh local tomatoes. Those hothouse tomatoes spook me. We don’t buy tomatoes at all in the off season, so before I can get those delicious, sweet, deep red, local tomatoes in, we come up with different ways to present the soft crab. Here’s one. Crab with ham has always been one of my favorite flavor combinations—and that salt-cured Smithfield country ham—if you’ve never had it before, do yourself a favor. It fell from heaven right after bacon landed. The crab is prepared pretty traditionally and then I added a simple aioli and a quick pickled onion. Obviously, the bread is super important to a sandwich—or anything for that matter. All of our bread is made here in-house, so we’re just as proud of our sandwiches as we are any of our other dishes. This sandwich has a lot of the traditional flavors that I associate with growing up eating soft crabs. It’s always fun to try to put flavors together in ways that still evoke the familiarity and memory of a dish, yet are new and interesting, too.”
Ingredients:
- brFresh soft crab (size = whales) (SC Seafood, Crisfield)
- brBoston Bibb Lettuce (Chesapeake Greenhouse, Sudlersville)
- brSmithfield Salt Cured Country Ham
- br1 red onion
- br1 Cup apple cider vinegar
- br2 Tbsp sugar
- brPinch kosher salt
- brFresh chives, parsley, chervil
- (Chesapeake Greenhouse, Sudlersville)
- br4 cloves garlic
- br1 egg yolk
- br1 Tbsp lemon juice
- br1 tsp Dijon
- br1/4 Cup olive oil
- br3 Tbsp grape seed oil
- brFlour
- br1 shallot, fine dice
- br2 garlic cloves, fine dice
- brOlive oil
- br1/2 Cup dry white wine
- br2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- br2 Tbsp butter
- brBrioche Roll
Herb & Roasted Garlic Aioli
brCoat garlic cloves in olive oil, season with salt and pepper, wrap in foil and roast in 450 oven for 5–7 minutes until browned and soft. Toss roasted garlic in food processor and add egg yolk, lemon juice, and Dijon. Combine two oils together. While processor is running slowly add combined oil. If aioli is too thick add a few drops of water to thin out. Chop about a tablespoon of fresh chives, parsley, and chervil and pulse in. Salt and pepper to taste. Hold aioli in fridge.
Quick Pickled Onion
brMix vinegar, sugar, and salt in a bowl until sugar and salt is dissolved. Slice red onion as thinly as possible—a mandolin works great for this but not necessary. Cover onions with vinegar, sugar, salt mixture. Cover and hold in fridge (at least 30 minutes or so).
brThinly slice ham into matchstick size strips.
brClean soft crab. Season crab with salt and pepper and coat in flour. Over medium high heat, add some olive oil. Once pan is hot, place soft crab in pan. Turn crab over after bottom crisps up and color becomes dark orange. When crab is a few minutes from being done add chopped shallots and ham to the pan. Once shallots are translucent, add garlic. Pay attention to ham, turn occasionally. After about 15 seconds, deglaze pan with white wine and lemon juice and reduce liquid until nearly gone. Reduce heat and add cold butter—stirring with tongs, bringing sauce together. Thoroughly coat crab with pan sauce.
brSlice brioche roll, butter the inside, and toast off the bread, butter side down in a pan on medium heat—like you would a grilled cheese sandwich. Assemble: place lettuce on bottom half of bread. This helps keep the bread from getting too wet. Place crab on lettuce with some of the pan sauce. Stack on some of the pickled onion, then the cured ham and top with the herb and roasted garlic aioli.
Mark Salter of the Robert Morris Inn
Harissa and Agave Glazed Shrimp with Wye Mills Stone Ground Cheddar Grits and Cottingham Farm’s Greens
“Wye Mills produces yellow stone ground grits, which pairs perfectly well with the glazed shrimp. Harissa is a Tunisian hot chili paste. The main ingredient being red peppers. I decided to choose Harissa because I had been part of a seminar in which it had been used as a glaze for pork. As a chef it is always exciting for us to be introduced to new ingredients, which ultimately complement the food that we serve. Cottingham Farms is organic and is based just outside Easton. They grow a variety of salad [greens], vegetables, and tomatoes. I visit the farm regularly to pick up my order.”
Serves 4
brIngredients:
- br2 Tbsp olive oil
- br35 each 26/30 shrimp, peeled and deveined
- br3 Tbsp Harissa
- br9 Tbsp agave
- brKosher salt and pepper
brbrHeat a sauté pan, pour in the olive oil. Add the shrimp seasoning with kosher salt and pepper. Sauté the shrimp on both sides before deglazing with the Harissa and agave.
Wye Mills stone ground yellow grits:
- br1 cup stone ground yellow grits
- br1 pint water
- br1 pint heavy cream
- br4 oz. Chapel Farms cheddar cheese
- brKosher salt and pepper
brBring the water and the cream to a boil. Whisk in the yellow stone ground grits. Season with salt and pepper. Cook on a low heat stirring occasionally until cooked approximately 20 minutes. Finally stir in the Chapel Farms cheddar cheese.
- br2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- br4 oz. Cottingham Farms greens
- brKosher salt and pepper to taste
brPick over the greens, season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over the olive oil and toss carefully. Spoon the cheddar grits into a warm bowl, arrange around the shrimp, drizzle with any excess Harissa glaze, and finish with the dressed Cottingham Farms Greens.
Pickled Watermelon and Farmers' Market Beet Salad with Herb Goat Cheese Crema and Toasted Walnuts
“I have a market stand at the Easton Farmers' Market on Saturday Morning. It is always exciting to see what the farmers bring to the market each week because we know it was harvested the night before or that morning. Whether from Tacahoe Farms, Provident Organics, or one of the other farmers who take so much pride in what they grow and sell ‘farm to table.’”
Serves 4
brIngredients:
- br3 per serving baby red beets
- br3 per serving baby yellow beets
- br4 each watermelon radish (recipe follows)
- br4 oz. local mixed salad greens
- br¼ cup walnut halves roasted
- br1 lemon, juice only
- br4 Tbsp olive oil
- br1x11 oz. log goat cheese
- br1 tsp chopped rosemary
- br1 teaspoon chopped Italian parsley
- br1 tsp chopped fresh tarragon
brbrPreheat oven to 375F. Place the washed beets on a piece of aluminum foil and add the 4 Tbsp of olive oil. Bring the foil corners together and secure the bag so it is air tight. Place on a tray and bake in the oven, approximately 25–30 minutes or until beets are cooked. Remove from the oven. Once the beets are cool, peel and cut into quarters.
brRoll the goat cheese balls in the chopped fresh herbs and refrigerate.
Watermelon Radish:
- br6 oz. small watermelon radish sliced (golf ball size)
- br1 cup unseasoned rice wine vinegar
- br1 Tbsp honey
- br1 Tbsp sugar
- br¼ tsp kosher salt
- br 2 cloves sliced garlic
- br1/3 chopped Jalapeño with seeds
- br1 Tbsp lime juice
brWash the watermelon radish, slice thinly. Boil the remaining ingredients for 1 minute. Cool, then add the sliced watermelon radish. Marinade in the liquid and leave to pickle overnight.
Goat Cheese Crema:
- br1x11 oz. log of goat cheese
- br1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- br1 each shallot sliced
- br1 Tbsp honey
- br2 Tbsp sherry vinegar
- br3 Tbsp warm water
- br1/4 cup blended oil (25% olive oil, 75% vegetable oil)
- br1 Tbsp lemon juice
- brKosher salt and pepper to taste
brMix all ingredients in the food processor except the oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place in a squeeze bottle and drizzle over the salad when needed.
brRemove the watermelon radish from the pickle and arrange on the plate. Place on the quartered beets; toss the salad with the lemon juice, salt, pepper, and blended oil. Arrange the goat cheese between the beets, sprinkle on the toasted walnuts, and drizzle with the goat cheese crema.
Local Beer and Cheddar Cheese Crusted Wild Rockfish with Baby Bok Choy, Fresh Asparagus, and Yellow Tomato Sauce
“Beer and cheddar cheese crust is commonly known as welsh rarebit and is an English savory, which is usually served on toast. Today, chefs use it as a crust for fish and this is also what I decided to do. I sourced a local beer from St. Michaels and blended it with Chapel Farms cheddar cheese. The texture and flavor of the rockfish allows it to stand up to the stronger flavors of the beer, mustard, and cheese without over-powering the fish. The bok choy and asparagus have been both sourced from local farms, too.”
Serves 4
brIngredients:
- br4 x 5 oz. rockfish fillet (skin removed)
- br4 Tbsp unsalted butter
- br8 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- br1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- br½ Tbsp English mustard powder
- br¾ tsp salt
- br¾ cup dark local beer
- br3 Tbsp heavy cream
- br6 oz. Chapel Farms cave-aged cheddar cheese
- brPinch cayenne pepper
- br2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Poaching liquor:
- br½ cup white wine (medium dry)
- br½ cup water
- brPinch of salt and pepper
brSeason the rockfish lightly with kosher salt and black pepper. In a preheated pan, sear in olive oil until golden in color on each side. Mix together the butter, flour, English powder, Dijon, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and cayenne pepper. Add the beer and stir together. Pour into a sauce pan. Cook for one minute adding the grated cheddar cheese and the cream. Cook until cheese has melted and the crust is smooth in texture. Refrigerate. Take a couple of tablespoons of the crust and shape the same size as the top of the seared rockfish. Coat the top of the fish. Place the fish in a sauté pan and pour on the white wine and water, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer on the stove, then bake in a preheated oven 400F for 10 minutes.
Yellow Tomato Sauce:
- br2 Tbsp olive oil
- br½ cup sliced shallots
- br2 cloves garlic sliced
- br½ cup white wine
- br1 Tbsp honey
- br4 each yellow beef steak tomatoes (cut into even size pieces)
- br3 each basil leaves
brCook the sliced shallots and garlic in olive oil. Add the white wine and cook for 1 minute before adding the chopped yellow tomatoes, honey, and fresh basil leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Cook slowly on a low heat until the tomatoes are soft (approximately 20–25 minutes). Place in the blender and add 2–3 tablespoons olive oil. Season if necessary.
Vegetables:
- br12 spears asparagus
- br2 heads baby bok choy (cut in half)
- br10 each baby cherry tomatoes (cut in half)
brPeel the asparagus spears. Cut to one-third of their original length. Save the peelings and deep fry until crispy. Season with salt and pepper. Cook the spears of asparagus and the baby bok choy in lightly salted water. Drain, toss with the tomatoes halves, and a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Season if desired.
Black Bottom Farms Pork Chop with Olive Oil Crushed Potatoes, Carrot Ginger Puree, and Roasted Jalapeño and Barbecue Sauce
“I have known Kim Wagner, owner of Black Bottom Farms in Galena, for a number of years and the love and devotion that she gives her pigs is unbelievable. Two summers ago, I was invited to her farm to see how the pigs were raised, the feed they were given, and the quality of their shelters. If I was to come back as a pig it would be at Black Bottom Farms. Early that morning, Kim had put on two pork butts to cook and by late-afternoon there was this wonderful smell all over the farm. I asked her if she had seasoned the pork with any spices or flavorings. It was just a little salt and pepper, the real taste came from just the meat itself. I couldn’t believe it…the flavor was amazing.”
Serves 4
brIngredients:
- br4 x 6–7 oz. Berkshire Pork Chops
Marinade
- br½ cup blended oil (90% vegetable oil, 10% olive oil)
- br1 clove sliced garlic
- br1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
brbrPlace the chops in the oil with the herbs and the sliced garlic. Marinate for 1–2 hours.
Cooking the chops:
- br2 Tbsp blended oil
- br4 slices Idaho potato
brSeason the chops with kosher salt and black pepper. Sear in oil on both sides, place a slice of Idaho potato, under each chop, and roast in a preheated oven 375F for 5–7 minutes until cooked to 140–145F internal temperature. Use a stem thermometer if desired to determine the final temperature.
Olive Oil Crushed Potatoes:
- br1lb. red bliss potatoes with skins
- br¼ cup olive oil
- brKosher salt and pepper to taste
brWash the red bliss potatoes and chop into even size pieces. Simmer in boiling salted water until cooked. Drain off the water. While still hot, mix with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Keep the potatoes hot on a low heat until ready to serve or keep warm in a preheated oven 325F for 10 minutes. Place the crushed potatoes in a ring mould onto the plate. Remove the ring mould.
Carrot and Ginger Puree:
- br2 cups peeled chopped carrots
- br2 slices fresh ginger
- br1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- br1 Tbsp local honey
- br1 clove chopped garlic
- br3 1/2 cups water
- brKosher salt to taste
brPlace all the above ingredients into a saucepan and cook for approximately 10–15 minutes or until soft and most of the liquid has evaporated. Place in a blender and puree until smooth. If you don’t have a blender then use a food processor. (You may need to add a couple of tablespoons of water to allow the carrots to puree, if too much has evaporated during cooking.)
Roasted Jalapeño Sauce
- br1 cup good barbecue sauce (Sweet Baby Rays or make your own)
- br1 each jalapeño roasted
- br1 tsp olive oil
- brKosher salt and pepper to taste
brbrRub the jalapeño with olive oil and roast on a small frying pan in a preheated oven, 400F until blisters form, approximately 10–12 minutes. Remove from the oven and cover with aluminum foil. Peel the jalapeño, discard the seeds, and chop the flesh finely. Add to the barbecue sauce and season with salt and pepper. (One may add some of the seeds chopped to the sauce if more spice is desired.)
Barbecue Sauce:
brRemove the potato slices from the frying pan used earlier to cook the chops. Add 1/2 cup water and the barbecue sauce and cook until 1/2 cup remains. Finish with the finely minced jalapeño.
brbrFinish the plate with arugula tossed with olive oil, pinch of salt, and pickled watermelon radish. (See salad recipe for watermelon radish recipe.)
Fresh Strawberry Shortcake with Chantilly and Mixed Berry Sauce
“Strawberry shortcake is really one of those classics that everyone loves to eat. I have always had a passion to pick my own strawberries and have done so over the last couple of years at Emily’s Produce in Cambridge and Blades Orchard in Federalsburg, both great sources for fresh, local strawberries. When I was about nine years old, with my twin brother, Andrew, we bought our first bicycles by picking countless boxes of strawberries on a local farm close to us. Back then, I think we picked as many as we ate.”
Serves 4
brIngredients:
- br2 cups all-purpose flour
- br2 tsp baking powder
- br¼ tsp baking soda
- br2 Tbsp sugar
- br½ tsp salt
- br1 ½ - 1 ¾ cups heavy cream
brPreheat oven to 375F. Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and heavy cream. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and, using a wooden rolling pin, carefully roll to 1-1/2 inches in thickness. Cut out with a cookie cutter, place on a tray, and brush with whole milk. Sprinkle with raw cane sugar. Bake for 10–12 minutes until golden. Cool on a cookie rack. Cut in half.
Mixed Berry Sauce:
- br1 lb. mixed berries (strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries)
- br1/2 cup granulated sugar
- br1 cup water
brRemove the tops from the strawberries, place in a sauce pan with the raspberries and blackberries. Add the water and the sugar. Simmer until berries are soft, approximately 15 minutes. Mix in a blender until smooth. Strain through a sieve to remove any pips.
- br1 lb. strawberries
- br1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- br3 Tbsp powdered sugar
- br1 tsp vanilla
brWash the strawberries, remove the tops and cut into quarters. Mix together with the mixed berry sauce. Beat the heavy cream with the vanilla and powdered sugar until peaks form. Pipe the cream onto the base of the shortcake. Spoon on the marinated strawberries followed by a little more cream. Garnish with half a strawberry for each shortcake. Place on the top and sprinkle with more powdered sugar.
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