Chesapeake Oyster Loaf Recipes

Steps:

• Pulse bread in a food processor until finely chopped. (You should have 1/2 cup.)
• In a large bowl, toss together celery, pepperoncini, parsley, breadcrumbs, and crabmeat to combine. Add mayonnaise, Dijon, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, egg, and 3/4 teaspoon salt; gently stir to combine. Form mixture into eight 2 1/2-inch-diameter patties (about 1/3 cup each). Refrigerate at least 15 minutes or, covered, up to 1 day.
• In a shallow bowl, whisk together flour, pinch of cayenne, and a pinch of salt. In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet (preferably cast iron), heat 1/2 inch oil over medium-high. Add a pinch of flour mixture; if it sizzles, oil is ready. Working in batches, gently add crab cakes to oil, reduce heat to medium, and fry, flipping once, until golden and crisp, about 4 minutes a side. Drain on paper towels; sprinkle with salt. Strain oil into a small saucepan until you have 1 inch (adding more oil, if necessary) and heat over medium-high to 350 degrees.
• Pat oysters dry. Dredge in flour mixture, shaking off excess. Fry until golden and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to paper towels. To serve, place a few lettuce leaves on each plate; top with crab cakes, a few fried oysters, and relish. Squeeze lemon wedges over top if desired.

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:

• 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:

• 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.