Hi there! Welcome to the Iconic Eats State by State blog!
We will be going around the country state by state picking one iconic food for each state. In this blog we will talk about many things including: why their food item is iconic, the state and its people, recipes, and much more! Hope you enjoy!
Maryland
The brackish (slightly salty) water of Chesapeake Bay provides an ideal habitat for the blue crab. Integral to the state's economy, its harvest is carefully nurtured and eagerly anticipated. Who doesn’t love seafood straight from the ocean? During harvesting, commercial crabbers use crab pots as their main tools. These crabs have been harvested by fishermen here since the 17th century.
Some vegetables that are prepared with these steamed crabs include, broccoli, asparagus, carrots, zucchini, Brussel sprouts, and corn. Raw, grilled, boiled, steamed, and roasted vegetables complement the crab's savory taste, creating a well balanced and sophisticated meal.
During the month of October there is a crab-cake festival at the Carroll County Farm Museum where some of Maryland's finest crab cake restaurants as well as food trucks and Artisan vendors participate. Some activities include: Beer and wine, live music from The Reagan Years, The Amish Outlaws and Experience!! Celebrity Judges will select the winner of Maryland’s best crab cake.
If we ever get a chance in the future we will definitely be traveling to Maryland to try their iconic crab. We would love to pair it with a delicious garlic butter sauce and a nice side of garlic mashed potatoes. I think a nice twist would be using the crab meat in sushi.
I personally love sushi, especially a California roll. I think the Maryland crab would be amazing in it. I think it would pair very nicely with the cucumber, avocado, seaweed, and rice that make up the sushi. I would also love to experience the people and traditions around why Maryland’s crab is so popular. I will definitely be adding their crab festival to my bucket list. If you ever get a chance to in the future, maybe you can join us in visiting Maryland to try their iconic crab.
Here is a recipe to make a California roll:
CALIFORNIA ROLL
INGREDIENTS: (for 4 servings)
2 cups sushi rice, cooked
¼ cup seasoned rice vinegar
4 half sheets sushi grade nori
1 teaspoon sesame seed, optional
8 pieces imitation crab
1 small cucumber, cut into matchsticks
1 avocado, thinly sliced
PREPARATION:
Season the sushi rice with the rice vinegar, fanning and stirring until room temperature.
On a rolling mat, place one sheet of nori with the rough side facing upwards.
Wet your hands and grab a handful of rice and place it on the nori. Spread the rice evenly throughout the nori without mashing the rice down. Season rice with a pinch of sesame seeds, if using, then flip it over so the nori is facing upwards.
Arrange, in a horizontal row 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the bottom, the crab followed by a row of avocado and a row of cucumber.
Grabbing both nori and the mat, roll the mat over the filling so the extra space at the bottom touches the other side, squeezing down to make a nice tight roll. Squeeze down along the way to keep the roll from holding its shape.
Transfer the roll onto a cutting board. Rub a knife on a damp paper towel before slicing the roll into six equal portions.
Here is a recipe for the buttery garlic mashed potatoes:
GARLIC MASHED POTATOES WITH GARLIC BUTTER
INGREDIENTS:
3 lbs potatoes - Yukon gold, creamer, russet potatoes
1â…“ cups heavy cream - start with less, adjust to your liking
1 Tablespoon chopped herbs - chives, green onions, or parsley
salt & pepper - to taste
GARLIC BUTTER:
4 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
6 cloves garlic - finely minced
INSTRUCTIONS:
Prep and boil potatoes: Wash and peel the potatoes then cut them into 1 inch pieces. Cover with water and boil until soft and fork tender, about 10 minutes. Drain very well and place back into the hot pot to remove excess water. Mash the potatoes using a potato ricer, potato masher, or other tool. See Note 2.
Make garlic butter and cream: Heat a sauce pan over medium low heat and add the garlic, butter, and vegetable oil. Saute until garlic is soft and fragrant, about 1½ to 2 minutes. Reserve a tablespoon of garlic butter for later.
Add the heavy cream to the sauce pan and heat until cream is warm and infused with garlic flavor. Do not boil the cream.
4 Tablespoons butter,1 Tablespoon vegetable oil,6 cloves garlic,1â…“ cups heavy cream
Add remaining ingredients: Add the garlic cream to the potatoes and mix until smooth and creamy. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Note: Start with â…” of the amount of cream and add more if you want a smoother consistency. See Note 3 for more details.
SERVE:
Spoon mashed potatoes into a serving bowl and drizzle with the reserved garlic butter. Garnish with herbs and serve immediately.
RECIPE NOTES:
I recommend using Yukon gold potatoes or other creamer potatoes for the best texture. But you can use a combination of half russet potatoes and half Yukon gold for lighter, fluffier potatoes that are still creamy.
Tools for mashed potatoes - If you don't have a potato masher, you can use a potato ricer, fork, whisk, stand mixer (if the motor is powerful enough). Note: if using a potato ricer, pass the potatoes through right after boiling (before adding garlic cream).
Heavy Cream - Adjust the amount of cream based on your preference for how smooth you want the mashed potatoes. If you want a smoother/thinner consistency, add more cream. If you want stiffer/thick mashed potatoes, start with â…” of the amount. For a lighter taste, replace a portion of the heavy cream for milk, half and half, or stock.
Here is a recipe for Maryland's steamed crabs:
STEAMED MARYLAND BLUE CRABS https://coleycooks.com/steamed-maryland-blue-crabs/#tasty-recipes-8117-jump-target
★★★★★ Review
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 25 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
light beer (about ¾ cup)
plain white distilled vinegar (about ¾ cup)
Live blue claw crabs (about 3-6 per person, depending on size)
Old Bay seasoning, to taste, plus more for serving
melted butter, for serving (optional)
Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark
INSTRUCTIONS:
Add equal parts beer and vinegar to the bottom of a large steamer pot, about 1 inch.
Bring the liquid to a boil, then add a single layer of live crabs. Be careful, they'll put up a fight!
Sprinkle the crabs liberally with Old Bay seasoning, then repeat with 2-3 more layers of crabs, but no more than 4 total. Make sure the liquid is at a rolling boil.
Cover and steam for about 8-12 minutes, depending on size. Larger crabs (#1's) will take 12 minutes, slightly smaller crabs (#2's) about 10 minutes, and smaller crabs about 8 minutes. Set a timer.
Line a big table with newspaper or brown paper bags, then dump the steamed crabs out on top. Repeat with the rest of your crabs until they're all used up.
Serve immediately with extra old bay, melted butter, corn on the cob and plenty of ice cold beer.
NOTES:
This is more of a method than an exact recipe. The quantities and cook time will vary based on the size of your pot and the size of your crabs.
Don't overcrowd the pot with too many crabs or the crabs on the bottom will overcook while the crabs on top might undercook. It's best to work in batches. The amount will depend on the size of your crabs and the size of your pot, but keep each batch to 4 layers or less.
Some people like to remove the backs from the crabs and lean out the lungs and guts prior to steaming. This makes them a little easier and less messy to pick, but it takes away some of their flavor and adds more work for the cook. We prefer to cook them whole because they taste better that way.
Don't be shy with the Old Bay Seasoning. Most of it will stick to the shell and won't actually make it to the crab meat, so the more the better.
These are a must have if you ever visit Maryland. They have nice juicy meat with a very nice seasoned outer shell. They are delicious with a lemon and garlic butter dipping sauce. It pairs great with some garlic mashed potatoes or even roasted asparagus and broccoli.
Maryland Crab Cakes with Quick Tartar Sauce
Servings: Makes 6 large crab cakes
Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Total Time: 40 Minutes, plus at least 1 hour to let the crab cakes set
INGREDIENTS FOR THE CRAB CAKES:
2 large eggs
2½ tablespoons mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann's or Duke's
1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup finely diced celery, from one stalk
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1 pound lump crab meat (see note below)
½ cup panko
Vegetable or canola oil, for cooking
FOR THE QUICK TARTAR SAUCE:
1 cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann's or Duke's
1½ tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon minced red onion
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CRAB CAKES:
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean-up.
Combine the eggs, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, Old Bay, salt, celery, and parsley in a large bowl and mix well. Add the crab meat (be sure to check the meat for any hard and sharp cartilage) and panko; using a rubber spatula, gently fold the mixture together until just combined, being careful not to shred the crab meat. Shape into 6 cakes (each about ½ cup) and place on the prepared baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This helps them set.
Preheat a large nonstick pan over medium heat and coat with oil. When the oil is hot, place the crab cakes in the pan and cook until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Be careful as oil may splatter. Serve the crab cakes warm with the tartar sauce.
FOR THE QUICK TARTAR SAUCE:
In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, relish, mustard, onion, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
Make-Ahead Instructions: The crab cakes can be formed, covered, and refrigerated a day ahead of time before cooking.
Thanks for joining us for our first blog! We are excited to announce that the next blog’s state is going to be Idaho! Be sure to tune in for it!
Cameron and Hailey out… Peace, homies. :)
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