Shortcake is one of America's most estimable contributions to the roster of the world's great desserts. Simplicity itself, shortcake, which requires little in the way of culinary expertise except for a light hand with the dough, is the epitome of good Yankee country cooking, and strawberry shortcake, made with dead-ripe, fragrant native berries, is probably the queen of all shortcakes. Whether gathered on hands and knees at a pick-your-own-farm or bought from a roadside stand or farmers' market, in-season strawberries are surely one of nature's most priceless seasonal offerings. The "short" (meaning very buttery) egg biscuit is made into one large cake for an impressive presentation to a large group. Although shortcake is best served warm, I do give instructions for preparing all the elements before guests arrive.
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July 1, 2009
June 18, 2009
Classic Down East Haddock Chowder
The virtue of Maine-style fish chowder is its simplicity. It's a milky, brothy chowder, unembellished with wine or heavy cream, tasting mostly of the good, fresh, locally caught haddock from which it is made. This recipe is classic, with the main concession to modernity being the addition of fresh thyme, which you can omit or reduce if you so prefer. The secret to chowder's depth of flavor lies in the aging process during which all the chowder's elements have a chance to meld and blend, resulting in a most successful and happy marriage.
June 11, 2009
Special Occasion Lobster Salad
Lobster salad for The Classic Maine Lobster Roll must be utterly pristine and simple. This composed version of lobster salad, however, is flavored a bit more assertively and is decorated brightly with snow peas and radishes. Add a basket of Maine Johnnycake or Grange Supper Baking Powder Biscuits for an absolutely splendid lunch or supper.
May 26, 2009
Wood-Grilled Peppered Steaks with a Bouquet of Grilled Vegetables
Mainers pride themselves on being a hardy bunch, so bragging rights are claimed for chipping ice off the grill in order to pry off the lid in January. Not me. But by the month of May, when standing outside feels more like pleasure than pain, we begin to go at it with a vengeance, grilling all manner of fish, chicken, meat, and vegetables. This simple peppered steak with its bouquet of summer vegetables showcases the very best of the height of grilling season.
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May 19, 2009
Sauté of Fiddleheads, Sugar Snaps, and Baby Carrots
Fiddleheads are one of the most significant culinary harbingers of spring in Maine, and in this recipe they're combined with two other seasonal vegetables to create a gorgeous, colorful mélange. If you can't get fiddleheads, asparagus cut into 2-inch lengths is a fine substitute.
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May 11, 2009
Chicken Breasts with Morels, Leeks, and Cream
Every year in Maine, knowledgeable local people forage morels: the mushroom of spring. With their dark brown, pitted, conical caps, some say morels look like a sponge on a stick, but they taste divine, with a rich, woodsy flavor that harkens back to the earth from which they spring. Morels are beautifully showcased in this dressed-up chicken dish that combines them with leeks, cream, and some good white wine. Accompany the meal with the same Riesling, and serve the chicken with such seasonal sides as asparagus or fiddleheads, sugar snap peas, and baby carrots.
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May 4, 2009
April 17, 2009
Aroostook Potato, Cheese, and Broccoli Soup
When I was up in Aroostook County a few years ago researching a magazine story on Maine potatoes, I cooked with a charming mother-daughter team affiliated with the Maine Potato Board. After cooking all morning, we sat down to an all-potato lunch (except for a bowl of crisp homemade pickles). We ate potato lasagna (sliced potatoes in lieu of the pasta), potato rolls, new potato salad, chocolate cake made with mashed potatoes, and this broccoli and cheese potato soup, which has remained one of my all-time favorites. The main ingredients are "all county," because broccoli is Aroostook's second largest cash crop.
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March 31, 2009
Francine Bistro’s Slivered Raw Asparagus Salad
Seasonality and fresh ingredients dictate the menu at Francine Bistro in Camden, so in springtime this wonderful slivered raw asparagus might be on the menu–but if not, you can re-create it at home.
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March 26, 2009
Split Pea Soup with Smoky Ham
A fogbound or snowy day in Maine seems to demand soup–especially a stick-to-the-ribs potage such as this split pea soup flavored with smoky ham. Save that wonderful ham bone (preferably with a goodly amount of meat still attached) and freeze it until pea soup-making day, or simply buy a juicy smoked ham hock and supplement with a bit of additional chopped ham. Either Maine Johnnycake or buttered rye toast go well with this soup, along with a simple side salad of mixed greens.
March 19, 2009
Peel ‘n’ Eat Maine Shrimp Boil with East-West Sauces
During the brief winter season when Maine shrimp are available fresh, I like to serve and eat them as often as possible. The tiny shrimp can now be bought peeled, but I think the flavor is better when they're cooked in their shells. In this preparation, guests are invited to peel off the shrimp's papery skins themselves and dunk in a choice of two sauces. It's a delightfully messy proposition, so serve the shrimp this way at a less-than-formal occasion–and provide plenty of napkins!
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March 16, 2009
Corned Beef Supper with Horseradish Cream
Boiled dinner Maine-style is similar to Irish corned beef and cabbage, with the addition of beets and parsnips, and it's one of those hearty and soul-satisfying meals that are also celebratory and festive- perfect for a large, informal gathering. While it's not necessarily traditional, I like to serve this with horseradish-spiked sour cream sauce, which is a welcome rich and sharp counterpoint to the plain boiled meat and vegetables.
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