Dyed in the wool Marylanders don’t need to be told that these chilly winter months are prime time for our great specialty, Chesapeake Bay oysters. I happen to love them shucked right out of the shell, but being clever cooks, generations of Marylanders have conjured up dozens of outstanding recipes. Chef Jerry Pellegrino has uncovered a few of the most tempting oyster dishes from the Old-Line State. And it’s amazing that back in colonial times they used to pull out oysters as big as your shoe, and no one went hungry.
We think one of the best sources for traditional recipes is the famous cookbook called “Maryland’s Way”, published 50 years ago by Hammond-Harwood House in Annapolis.
And fortunately for us, you don’t have to buy oysters still in the shell anymore and shuck them yourself. Every seafood market is sure to have big glass jars of shucked oysters swimming in their liquor.
Here’s one of Jerry’s favorites, called “Oysters Maryland”, but we think of it as oysters on toast points. It’s a great little appetizer, and it involves buttered toast points, thin slices of country cured ham, topped off with a nice plump oyster. But the best part is the cream sauce you dollop on top. The original recipe is vague, but I whipped up a Bechamel sauce with some finely chopped sautéed onion and a bit of sherry. Fabulous!
We found a somewhat similar recipe, Mrs. W.G. Fay’s Oysters au Gratin. For this you’ll need actual oyster shells for the serving. Start off by sautéing some chopped parsley, onions and garlic in a little butter. Toss in some flour and cream to make a stiff sauce, then season with nutmeg, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Plop an oyster in a shell, cover with sauce and then sprinkle on some grated Swiss cheese. And bake. We think three or four per person would get the job done.
Now, oyster soups and chowders are welcome at this time of year. Here’s a variation on a recipe for Dredge Boat Oyster Chowder from Mrs. Carroll Elder in old Talbot County. She calls for fried potato cubes with a few slices of bacon. You’ll toss in some diced onion and celery and cook until soft. Then you’ll pour in three cups of chicken broth, 1 pint of oysters with their liquor, and season with salt, pepper, mace, a little cayenne, and once again a dash of sherry. Simmer it and mash up some of the potatoes to thicken the chowder, and voilà, a perfect cold weather chowder.
