Chesapeake Oyster Loaf Recipes

Steps:

• In a medium saute pan with deep sides begin heating oil. Season cornmeal with Creole spice. Dredge oysters in cornmeal mixture and add to hot oil, without crowding. Cook about 1 1/2 minutes, turning once. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain excess grease on paper towels. Slice bread in half horizontally across the middle. Open up loaf and spread a generous layer of tartar sauce on bottom half. Spread lettuce over and top with perfectly-cooked oysters. Replace bread top and eat immediately.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.

Steps:

• Put the oysters in a strainer over a medium bowl to catch their liquor. Reserve 3/4 cup of the oyster liquor. In a large bowl, combine the crumbled cornbread and oysters.
• Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add the bacon and cook for 1 minute. Drain and pat dry with a paper towel.
• Melt 1/2 cup of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the foaming subsides, add the bacon, shallot, celery, salt, and season with pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the parsley, thyme, reserved oyster liquor, and vermouth and bring to a boil. Transfer the shallot-herb mixture to the cornbread and oysters and stir to combine. Set aside for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Transfer the cornbread mixture to a buttered 1-quart gratin dish, dot with the remaining butter, and bake until browned and crusty, about 1 hour.
• Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
• Butter a 3 1/4 x 5 3/4 x 2-inch loaf pan. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the egg and combine with the milk. Pour the milk mixture into the cornmeal mixture and mix lightly with a rubber spatula until a thick batter is formed. Stir in the melted butter until just incorporated.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool.
• Yield: 1 small loaf of cornbread

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Cut top crust of bread off and scoop out inside.
• Butter 1/3 of the scooped out bread and toast in the oven.
• Fry oysters in butter; add cream, celery, pepper, salt, Tabasco and toasted bread.
• Fill the hollowed loaf with this mixture, cover with top crust and bake for 20 minutes, basting often with oyster liquor.
• Slice and serve hot.

Steps:

• Drain the oysters and place in a small bowl. Cover with 1 cup milk and let soak for 15 minutes. In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining milk, water, cayenne and eggs. Place the flour, cornmeal, black pepper, and salt into a brown paper bag, close and shake to mix.
• In a large heavy-bottomed pot, pour enough oil to fill the pan halfway. Heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 360 degrees F.
• Drain the oysters from the milk. In batches dip oysters in the egg mixture then drop in the paper bag. Close and shake. Remove to a plate and repeat with the rest of the oysters. When oil is at 360 degrees F, fry oysters in batches. Do not overcrowd. Cook turning once until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove to a paper towel. Repeat with remaining oysters.
• To serve, cut sandwich loaves in half horizontally. Slather a generous amount of Spicy Remoulade Sauce on the inside. Place a lettuce leaf inside and fill generously with oysters. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over oysters just before serving.
• Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth. Chill until ready to serve.

Steps:

• For the Soft Shell Crab: Either preheat fryer, or a Dutch oven filled halfway with oil, to 250 degrees F. Clean crabs and cover with milk and buttermilk. Place in refrigerator until chilled, about 10 minutes. Mix together flours and seasonings. Remove crabs from milk and drain excess. Dip into seasoned flour and shake off excess. Carefully lower into preheated oil. Fry for approximately 3 minutes until crispy and golden brown. Remove from hot oil, drain, hold for final assembly.
• Maryland Jumbo Lump Crab Imperial:
• In a small saute pan, melt butter and whisk in flour to form a light roux. Cook roux briefly and stir in milk and cream. Keep stirring and bring to a boil. Add sherry, lemon juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, seafood seasoning and salt and pepper, to taste. Remove from heat, chill slightly, and fold in Maryland jumbo lump crabmeat, chives, parsley, and mayonnaise. Reserve for final assembly.
• Eastern Shore Sweet Corn Pudding: Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Cut kernels off of cob and scrape cob with the back of a knife to remove the "milk". Chop the cob into pieces. Heat butter in a saute pan and add shallots, garlic, corn, and cob. Saute briefly for 1 minute. Add seafood seasoning, sugar and salt and pepper, to taste and saute for an additional minute. Add cream and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let mixture steep for a few minutes. Discard cob pieces and puree corn/crab mixture. Add 1/2 cup of heated mixture to the eggs and whisk continuously. Then whisk egg mixture back into heated liquid, also known as tempering. Strain and pour mix into 6 greased ramekins. Bake in preheated oven in a water bath until pudding sets, about 25 minutes. Remove from water and reserve warm for final assembly.
• Chesapeake Oyster Stew: Heat butter in a saucepan and add ham, corn kernels, shallot, garlic, and leek. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add vermouth and oyster liquor (or bottled clam juice). Reduce by half and add cream. Turn down heat and simmer until slightly thickened. Add seasonings and taste. Turn off heat and add oysters and herbs. Reserve for final assembly.
• Final Assembly: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Carefully lift the top shell off the soft shell crabs and stuff with Maryland Crab Imperial. Bake in preheated oven for a few minutes while completing the dish. Place warm Eastern Shore Sweet Corn Pudding in a shallow heated bowl. Ladle Chesapeake Oyster Stew in bowl around the pudding with 3 Chesapeake oysters per serving. Carefully place Maryland Soft Shell Crab on the pudding. Garnish with chives and corn shoots from your local Maryland farmers market, if using!

Steps:

• Slice the bread in half, lengthwise and scoop out the soft center from the lower half. Save for other use in other dishes. Place both halves of loaf on a baking sheet, cut side up.
• Melt butter in a small sauce pan and blend in onion, garlic, thyme, basil, paprika and cayenne. Brush 2/3 of the butter mixture over cut edges of the bread, covering completely. Bake at 350F for 15 minutes or until slightly browned.
• Rinse oysters in cold water and drain. Mix egg, salt and pepper in small bowl. dip oysters into egg mixture then coat with cracker crumbs. Saute in butter until golden brown.
• Fill lower half of loaf with oyster filling, cover with top of loaf and brush with seasoned butter (pour any remaining butter over the oyster filling).
• Bake an additional 5 to 10 minutes. Cut into 6 diagonal pieces and garnish each piece with parsley and a lemon wedge. Have Tabasco or Red's hot sauce available for those who desire.
• Serve hot.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Bring water to boil in the bottom half of a double boiler.
• Lightly toast the two slices of bread.
• Remove the bread slices from the oven and spread with the butter/anchovy mixture.
• While the bread is toasting, bring water to a boil in the bottom of a double boiler.
• When the water is boiling, place the top of the double boiler on the bottom, making sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the top (begins to sound like gibberish).
• Add one tablespoon of butter, the oysters, the oyster liquor, the celery, Worcestershire sauce and sherry. Stir constantly and do not allow the stew to boil.
• As soon as the edges of the oysters start to curl, add the cream and stir.
• Place the buttered bread in the oven and toast till anchovy butter is melted and 'crostinis' start to brown.
• When stew is close to, but NOT boiling, remove from heat, remove and discard celery and season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
• Pour into two bowls.
• Divide the remaining tablespoon of butter between the two bowls and garnish with paprika.
• Serve with anchovy toasts.
• While you are dishing out the stew, have your guest open the champagne.