Welcome to Maryland

Maryland is a state of conflicting history. Maryland, the 7th state to join the Union, with a coastal location deeply rooted a maritime heritage. Not all Americans are familiar with the battle at Baltimore’s Fort McHenry during the War of 1812. Yet every American recognizes the description of the the battle as bombs bursting in air. It was then that Francis Scott Key penned the poem that would one day become the words to our National Anthem.

Although Maryland lay south of the Mason-Dixon Line, it never seceded from the Union. While many families on either side of the line fought on opposing sides, for Maryland the theme of brother against brother was commonplace. Antietam National Cemetery holds a solemn reminder of the bloodiest single day in the Civil War. On September 17. 1862, the combined tally of dead, wounded or missing in action was a staggering 22,717 men. While Maryland was Southern as far as location, having not seceded it was technically Union Territory. The battle of Antietam was the first victory for Union Troops on Union ground. This battle proved to be a deciding factor in British interference in the American Civil War. It was far too costly an endeavor, so Britain remained on the sidelines.

When we think Maryland recipes, naturally we gravitate to Chesapeake Bay – soft shell crab – or the ever popular Chicken Maryland. My first instinct was Crab Cakes. But then what? Chicken and Crab Cakes? I don’t think so. Oh, but what about Steak Oscar? And not just any Steak Oscar, but one made with Crab Cakes and garnished with Shrimp. Oh yeah, now we’re talking. The rest of this awesome Maryland Recipe simply wrote itself around my favorite steak – the Oscar. As for dessert, what could be better than the famous Smith Island Layer Cake?

The Flavors of Maryland
Roquefort Pear Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

Maryland Steak Oscar with Lemon-Roasted Asparagus

Smith Island Fourteen-Layer Yellow Cake with Chocolate Buttercream

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Roquefort Pear Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette
Salad
10 cups Salad Greens
3 large ripe Pears, sliced
1/2 cup thinly sliced Green Onions
4 ounces crumbled Roquefort (Blue) Cheese
1/4 cup slivered Almonds, toasted

Tear salad greens and scatter in a large bowl. Slice pears and green onions, add to the bowl. Crumble the cheese over the salad. Toss, then scatter salad with toasted almond slivers. Set aside.

Vinaigrette
1 Garlic Clove, minced
1/3 cup Olive Oil
3 tablespoons Cider Vinegar
1-1/2 teaspoons Sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard
Kosher Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Finely mince garlic, place in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Add olive oil, cider, sugar and mustard. Close the lid, shake vigorously to emulsify the contents. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust.

When ready to serve, shake dressing, pour over salad and toss to coat.

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Maryland Steak Oscar with Lemon-Roasted Asparagus
Lemon-Dill Crab Cakes
2 teaspoons Fresh Dill
1 teaspoon Lemon Zest
26 Saltine Crackers
1 lb Lump Crabmeat
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1 large Egg, lightly beaten
Pinch Kosher Salt
Fresh Black Pepper to taste
3 tablespoons Butter, divided
3 tablespoons Olive Oil, divided

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

Mince dill and zest the lemon, set aside. Crush saltine crackers, set aside. Pick over the crabmeat, removing any bits of shell. Set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together mayonnaise, mustard, egg, dill, zest, salt, and pepper until smooth. Add crushed crackers, stirring until combined. Gently fold in crabmeat, stirring just until combined. Shape mixture into six thick 3-inch round cakes, and place on prepared pan. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to cook, melt 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add one-third of crab cakes; cook until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Repeat procedure with remaining butter, oil, and crab cakes. Keep warm until ready to assemble and serve.

Filet Steaks
6 Filet Mignon Steaks, 2-inch-thick
2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
Fresh Black Pepper to taste
2 Shallots, thinly sliced
6 Garlic Cloves, peeled and halved
1 cup Butter
Fresh Dill garnish

Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper, let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Peel and thinly slice shallots, set aside. Peel garlic, cut in half and set aside.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add butter, and heat until melted. Add shallots and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and browned, about 5 minutes. Remove shallots and garlic from skillet; set aside.

Add steaks to skillet, being careful not to overcrowd pan. Cook for 5 minutes without moving. Turn steaks over, and return shallots and garlic to pan. Place skillet in the heated oven. Cook until a meat thermometer inserted in center of steak registers 125 degrees (or almost to desired degree of doneness), about 5 minutes.

Remove from oven, cover and let stand for 10 minutes.

Roasted Shrimp
12 large Shrimp,
2 tablespoons Butter
Fresh Black Pepper
2 tablespoons Olive Oil

Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving tails intact.

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Melt butter. Toss shrimp, pepper. melted butter, and oil on prepared pan. Arrange in a single layer.

Roast shrimp in the heated over until shrimp are pink and firm, about 8 minutes.

Lemon-Roasted Asparagus
2 lb Asparagus
1 Lemon
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
Pinch Kosher Salt or to taste
Fresh Black Pepper to taste

Clean asparagus, snap off woody ends leaving only the tender parts. Pat dry and set aside.

Cut lemon in half. Zest haf the lemon, set aside. Squeeze juice from both halves, set aside.

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Toss together asparagus, oil, salt, and pepper on prepared pan.

Bake until asparagus is browned and tender, about 8 minutes. Toss with lemon zest and juice.

Blender Bearnaise Sauce
2 tablespoons fresh Tarragon
3/4 cup Butter
2 Egg Yolks, room temperature
2 tablespoons Lemon Juice

Chop tarragon, set aside.

In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat until it starts to sizzle.

Place egg yolks into a blender; process until slightly thickened, 10 to 15 seconds. With processor running, gradually pour lemon juice through food chute, and process until smooth.

With processor running, slowly pour hot butter through food chute. (Mixture will immediately be creamy and thickened.) Add tarragon, and process 5 seconds more.

As soon as the sauce is complete, work quickly to assemble the Steak Oscar. Arrange steaks on individual plates. Top steaks with desired amount of Blender Sauce. Top each steak with a Lemon-Dill Crab Cakes, and two Roasted Shrimp. Garnish steaks with fresh dill. Arrange roasted asparagus on the plates and serve.

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Smith Island Fourteen-Layer Cake
The Cake
1 cup Water
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
4 Eggs
1 box Yellow Cake Mix
1 box Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 14 disposable cake pans. Set aside.

Beat eggs, water and oil until foamy. Add cake mix and pudding mix. Beat on low for 30 seconds, then high for 2 minutes.

Pour 1/4 cup of batter into each pan. Using an off-set spatula, spread batter evenly.

Bake two or three cake pans at a time for about 7 minutes, watching closely. Repeat until all the cakes have been baked. Let cakes cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then invert onto paper plates and allow to cool completely before assembling the cake. While the cake cools, make the frosting.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 cup Butter
8 oz Cream Cheese
1/2 cup unsweetened Cocoa Powder
16 oz Powdered Sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon Chocolate Syrup
1 teaspoon Vanilla
3 tablespoons Milk

Remove butter and cream cheese from the refrigerator and let soften to room temperature.

Sift cocoa powder and powdered sugar together in a large bowl, set aside.

Cream the butter and cream cheese together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add chocolate syrup and vanilla to the creamed butter, scraping down the side.

Add the powdered sugar mixture to the creamed butter small batches on low speed until combined. Scrape down sides with each addition.

Add milk, 1 tablespoons at a time, until desired spreadable consistency is reached.

To assemble cake, place one layer at a time on a cake plate. Spread a thin layer of frosting before adding the next layer. Continue until all the cake layers have been added. Carefully frost the sides and top. If necessary for stability, add thin wooden dowels while frosting the sides. Place in the refrigerator so that the frosting has a chance to set.

Slice with a serrated knife and serve.