Chesapeake Bay Skate Wing Recipes

Steps:

• Vinaigrette: Combine 2 tablespoons of olive oil with the ginger, lemongrass and shallots in a large sauce pot over medium heat, and cook, stirring until the vegetables are soft and translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the vegetable stock with the ginger, lemongrass and shallot trimmings in a sauce pot over medium heat (the scraps will infuse the stock with even more flavor). When the sauteed vegetables are ready, strain the stock into the pot, then add the fish sauce, hot pepper sauce, soy sauce, thyme, lime juice, balsamic vinegar and peppercorns to the pot. Bring the liquid to a very low simmer, and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and whisk in the remaining olive oil. Remove the pot from the burner and set aside until cool. You may store the vinaigrette in an airtight container for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
• Skate: Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Slice the tops and bottoms from the turnips and peel away the outer skin. Using the julienne blade on a mandolin (or a very sharp knife), julienne the turnip, slicing it into very thin, match-stick size pieces. Set aside.
• Spread the almonds on a non-stick sheet pan, and toast in the middle of the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until you can just begin to smell them toasting. Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the almonds to a plate or bowl. Set aside.
• Place a large, non-stick saute pan over medium-high heat. As it warms, brush the skate on 1 side with the softened butter. Season with salt and pepper, and add the skate to the hot pan, buttered-side down. Season again with salt and pepper. Let the skate sear without moving it, so the fish forms a crispy brown crust. When well browned, turn the skate and brown on the other side.
• While the skate is searing, warm another medium-sized saute pan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, swirl to coat the bottom, and add the turnips and snow peas to the pan. Season with salt and pepper and cook, tossing frequently so that the vegetables cook evenly until crisp-tender. After 30 seconds, add the snow pea shoots. Toss, add the almonds, and remove from heat and mound in the center of 4 warm dinner plates. Top each with 1 piece of skate. Mix the vinaigrette well and ladle over the top of the fish, scattering the dressing and seasonings over the flesh. Serve.

Steps:

• Season the skate with salt and pepper. Season the flour with salt and pepper. Dredge the skate in the flour, coating completely.
• In a large saute pan, over medium heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, saute the skate for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Remove the fish from the pan and set aside.
• Add the shallots and capers. Season with pepper. Saute for 1 minute. Add the lemon juice and wine. Bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the liquid reduces by half, about 6 to 8 minutes. Whisk in the butter, a cube at a time. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in 1 tablespoon of parsley.
• Add the fish back into the sauce and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
• In another saute pan, heat the remaining tablespoon of the oil. When the oil is hot, add the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes.
• To serve, spoon the vegetables in the center of each plate. Place the skate on top of the vegetables and spoon the sauce over the fish. Garnish with remaining parsley.

Steps:

• Rinse fish and pat dry. Combine yellow onions, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper in a large, deep skillet. Add the skate wings and cover with cold water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. As soon as water boils, remove pan from heat. Remove 1 cup of the liquid into a small nonreactive saucepan and set aside. Cover the skillet and set aside until the fish is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile steam the cabbage until cooked, about 10 minutes. Bring the reserved cup of liquid to a boil over high heat. Boil until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the vinegar and boil for another minute. Swirl in the butter a few pieces at a time, and keep the sauce warm over very low heat. To serve, drain the skate on a towel. Remove the skin from both sides. Place 2 wedges of cabbage on each of 4 warmed dinner plates. Place skate on top of cabbage. Spoon sauce over the fish, sprinkle with leeks and serve immediately.
• Wine: Manzanilla La Gitana Sherry

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• For the sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add minced shallots and saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the flour to make a roux. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes to cook the flour. Slowly, add 3 cups milk. When milk is incorporated into the roux, add the seafood seasoning, and the block of cream cheese. Cook until cream cheese is melted. Add shredded Manchego and Cheddar cheeses and parsley. Cook until all the cheese is melted. Add the sherry, if desired.
• Cook macaroni according to package directions or until just al dente. Drain macaroni. Stir cheese mixture into cooked macaroni and old in crabmeat. (Be sure to fold in crabmeat so you don't break up the lumps too much, you want nice chunks of crab.) Put mixture in a baking dish.
• For the topping:
• Mix melted butter, bread crumbs, seafood seasoning, and parsley. Sprinkle topping on the dish. Bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes to make the topping crispy. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Steps:

• Put the egg yolk, seafood seasoning, mustard, lemon zest and juice, and vinegar in the bowl of a food processor or a blender and process until smooth. Gradually pour in the oil with the machine running until the mixture emulsifies and forms a mayonnaise. Season with the salt and pepper. (Note: this quantity of mayonnaise will not emulsify in the bowl of the largest size food processor. Use a medium size food processor, a mini processor, or a blender.)
• Transfer the mayonnaise to a bowl and, using a rubber spatula, fold in the scallions and the crabmeat until well combined. Combine the bread crumbs and the parsley in a shallow container. Form the crab mixture into 8 patties about 3-inches wide and 3/4-inch thick and drop them into the bread crumb-parsley mixture. Dredge the crab cakes on both sides. If you have time, leave the crab cakes in the container of bread crumbs, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for 1 hour or more.
• When you are ready to fry the crab cakes, put 2 large nonstick skillets over medium heat. Add about 2 tablespoons butter to each pan. When the butter is melted, add 4 crab cakes to each pan, patting off excess crumbs first. Slowly fry the crab cakes over medium heat until they are golden brown on both sides and hot through, turning once with a spatula, about 4 minutes per side. If the crab cakes are browning too quickly, reduce the heat. The internal temperature of a cooked crab cake should be 155 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.
• Transfer the crab cakes to plates, 2 per person, and serve with your choice of sauce and lemon wedges.
• 8 ounces tomatillos, husked and cut into quarters
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons green hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds, toasted
• 1 teaspoon peeled and grated fresh horseradish
• Put the tomatillos in the bowl of a food processor and process until coarsely pureed. Remove the tomatillo puree to a sieve, drain off the liquid and discard. Put the drained puree in a bowl and stir in the vinegar, sugar, hot sauce, garlic, mustard seeds, and horseradish.

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine all of the spices. Remove and reserve 2 tablespoons of the mixture. Rinse the wings and pat dry. Add the wings to bowl with the spice mixture and stir to coat well. Loosely cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
• Preheat the grill to medium-high heat with direct and indirect heat or preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• For the grill: Cook the wings over direct heat until they are good and crispy, about 15 to 25 minutes. Turn them over and put them on indirect heat, turning frequently, as needed.
• Oven method: Line a baking sheet with a nonstick wire rack. Arrange the wings on the rack and bake them for 45 to 55 minutes, turning halfway through.
• While the wings are grilling, in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, garlic and jalapeno. Saute for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the reserved 2 tablespoons of the spice mixture and 12 ounces of hot sauce. Bring to a simmer, add the butter, vinegar and lime juice. Hold warm until ready to serve.
• When ready to serve, add the wings to a large serving bowl, pour in the sauce and toss.

Steps:

• In a heavy-gauged pot on medium to high heat add the grapeseed oil. When a light haze rises from the pan, add all of the crab. The blue crabs contain water so you must cook them until this liquid has evaporated. Then add the butter. Allow the milk solids to fall and when the butter stops foaming add the vegetables and cook until translucent. Add the coriander seed and brown lightly. Add the tomato paste and chopped tomato and cook, stirring frequently, for 4 minutes. Deglaze with the white wine, scraping up any bits sticking to the pan. Add the water and chicken stock. Bring up to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Add the bay leaf and thyme cook an additional 10 minutes. Press the whole mixture into a strainer. The broth should have small pieces of the vegetables from the cooking of the crab. Check and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Divide evenly and garnish each with some of the crab, pickled ramps, sauteed shiitakes and creme fraiche.
• Combine the sugar, vinegar, and water and bring to a boil. Add the mustard, coriander, fennel seeds, peppercorns, and bay leaf. Blanch and shock ramps, strain, and pour the warm pickling liquid over the ramps. Let cool and store for 3 days before using.

Steps:

• Ponzu: Combine all of the ingredients in a small, non-reactive saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, strain and discard zest. Keep warm.
• Yuzu Vinaigrette: Whisk all of the ingredients together in a small mixing bowl and set aside.
• Steaming Liquid: Place all of the ingredients in a large saucepan (large enough to keep the dashi kombu flat.) Bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat and set aside for 30 minutes. Remove the kombu and reserve both the liquid and the kombu.
• Put the steaming liquid in the bottom of your steamer and bring to a boil. Cut the kombu in half. Place 1 sheet of the kombu on the perforated pan of your steamer. Arrange the skate wingson the kombu. Cover with the other piece of the kombu. Set the perforated pan over the boiling liquid, and cover with a lid. Steam for 4 or 5 minutes over high heat.
• Meanwhile, cook the cabbage. Heat the oil in a sautepan, add the cabbage, and stir-fry until the edges of the cabbage just start to brown. Add the garlic and stir-fry for about 10 seconds. Remove from the heat and lightly season with salt and pepper.
• Divide the cabbage among 4 large, hot serving bowls. Place a skate wing on each cabbage mound. Spoon the Ponzu over the skate. Toss the garnish greens together and then mound them on top of the skate. Sprinkle with the Yuzu vinaigrette and sesame seeds.