Crab Bisque Chincoteague

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In the spring of 2019 I visited an estate sale here on Chincoteague Island. Upon entering I could tell this was my kinda lady. Beautiful kitchen equipment, lovely nautical themed linens, vintage Shore Stop drink coolers (growing up, EVERYONE had one to take to the beach). All my favorite books lined the shelves – Beautiful Swimmers, A Sand County Almanac, A Gift From The Sea, random Eastern Shore history books.

It was an older couple’s family beach house for decades, filled with treasures collected from a lifetime of loving this unique little spot I’m lucky to call home. I couldn’t help but feel an instant connection.

My favorite finds were two advertising items. The first is a full page ad for Old Bay Seasoning’s 75th Anniversary, that ran in the Baltimore Sun back on Memorial Day weekend of 2014. It’s framed in a really rustic nautical looking frame – I just love it. It is right at home in my living room!The second was a poster for the 1988 Crab Derby held in Crisfield, Maryland. Taped on the back is a copy of a check made out to Mrs. Joan Folio. She had entered her “Crab Bisque Chincoteague”  in their recipe contest that year, and took home the Grand Prize! Which, is truly an honor. My mom and dad live in Crisfield, so that made it special to me too.

I also had picked up a binder of recipes that she’d collected – that has every winning recipe from the Crab Derby going back all the way to 1963! I’m pleased to report that her Crab Bisque was in the binder as well. So when I got everything home and connected the dots I was stoked. I couldn’t wait to make her recipe.

I’ve made it many times since then, always meaning to snag a photo and share this story here on the blog – but it was always inhaled before I had the time to do so. It truly is the best crab soup I’ve ever had in my life.

It’s pretty much a standard cream of crab base- but the addition of lemon pepper seasoning really gives it a little something special. There’s a little bit of cheddar that also makes it stand out, giving it a nice bite. And there are no fillers – no bullshit onions or celery. Just CRAB.

I’d tried to look up Mrs. Joan in the past couple years – googling her name to no avail. If I’d found her I don’t know what I would have done – maybe just sent a postcard proclaiming my love of her bisque. I never found anything, but still continued to think of her often, and when I did – she would always bring a smile to my face.

Flash forward to last week when we steamed our first batch of crabs for the year. I made the bisque with the leftovers I’d picked, AND managed to get a photo. Sitting down to write this blog post I thought, “let me give it one more search”. And there she was, right at the top of the search results – her obit from August 20, 2020.She’d evidently struggled with Alzheimer’s since 2018, and COVID-19 is what brought her to meet her maker last summer. She was 86. Had a beautiful family with children and grandchildren. It was great to finally get to read about her, and see her picture – she was exactly the kind of person I’d painted a picture of in my mind. They even mentioned her love of Chincoteague in the article…

I never had the pleasure to meet Carol Joan Folio, but I have a pretty good feeling that we would have been fast friends. Estate sales always kind of make me sad, but it brings a smile to my face knowing I will give these things new life in our home. I hope it would bring a smile to hers too. Cheers to you, Joan!

Crab Bisque Chincoteague

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
4 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups cream
3 Tbsp sherry
1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
2 tsp seafood seasoning (J.O. #1 is my go-to)
3/4 cup shredded cheddar
1 lb lump crab meat
chopped parsley, for garnish

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and whisk, cooking for about 2 minutes, to make a roux.

Slowly add the milk and heavy cream, whisking constantly, until mixture starts to thicken. About 5 minutes.

Whisk in cheddar, sherry, seafood seasoning, lemon pepper, and 1 Tbsp chopped parsley. Gently fold in the crab meat. Season to taste with salt.

Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with additional fresh parsley.

Source: Mrs. Carol Joan Folio

Spicy Ginger-Scallion Crab Wontons

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Lunar New Year just passed us by last week, along with Valentine’s Day – and now Mardi Gras tomorrow. It’s been a busy time! You guys know I like to make things special for my family for all the holidays, especially in the food department.

JSL Foods reached out to me about participating in their Twin Dragon Wrapper Blogger Recipe Challenge, using their egg roll and won ton wrappers. I’m of course I’m waiting until the last horn blows to submit my entries in both categories: Holiday Appetizers, and Game Day Appetizers…

But, I used the Lunar New Year on Friday as my opportunity to make these spicy crab won tons. Ginger-Scallion Crab is a popular dish at many Chinese restaurants, so I wanted to use that flavor profile to give a nod to Chinese culture and the holiday.

Everyone really liked them! They were super-quick to throw together – and with the addition of Sriracha, they really packed a punch in the flavor department!

Spicy, but not too spicy that the boys couldn’t enjoy them too. A winner in my house, let’s hope it’s a winner in the contest too!

Spicy Ginger-Scallion Crab Wontons

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 Tbsp Sriracha sauce
1/2 tsp kosher salt
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp finely minced ginger
8 ounces lump crab meat, picked through for shells
24 Twin Dragon Asian Won Ton wrappers
small bowl of water
canola or vegetable oil, for frying
sweet chili sauce, for serving

Place about 6 cups of oil in a large pot and bring to 350 degrees. Place a cooling rack inside a baking sheet, and top with paper towels – set aside.

In a medium bowl combine the cream cheese, Sriracha, salt, scallions, and ginger. Add the crab meat and mix until just combined.

To assemble the wontons – lay a wonton wrapper on a flat surface, with a corner facing towards you. Using the bowl of water, use your finger to wet the edges of the wonton wrapper. Place about 2 tsp filling in the center of the wrapper, and then fold the bottom corner to the top corner to form a triangle. Press on the edges with your fingers to firmly secure. Wet one end of the triangle and press it to the other side of the triangle – connecting the ends together.

Fry wontons in hot oil for about for about 3 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oil and drain on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining wontons. Serve warm with sweet chili sauce for dipping.

You can find Twin Dragon Asian Won Ton wrappers at your local Walmart. And, be sure to follow along on their social media channels for great recipes!

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New England Clam Chowder

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New England Clam Chowder

Last summer I did a poll on Instagram on clam chowders – Manhattan vs. New England. The cream-based New England won by a long shot, at 80%. I’ve had a recipe for the tomato based Manhattan clam chowder here on the blog for a couple of years. But it was clear I needed to get my version of the cream based up here as well.

We’ve been doing our fair share of fishing lately. Alternating between going out on the sea side, and the bay side of the Eastern Shore. We’ve had some great days, including my first citation fish – a 14 pound sheepshead. Still walking on air over that one!

Often our fishing leaves sessions leave us with some leftover bait, in the form of fresh big chowder clams. Shout out to Chip, our clam man, who makes home deliveries!

The kids have also started to dig them up on Sundays when we’re out at Little Beach. Usually they’re smaller and we just toss them on the grill – but sometimes they’re big enough to become a pot of chowder.

At any rate, I finally got around to making it AND taking a photo of it. It’s rich and creamy, filled with chunks of bacon, potatoes, onions, celery, and chopped clams – that lend a lovely brininess. And as with most soups, it’s even better the next day!

If you can’t find fresh clams, no worries. You can easily used canned clams and clam juice – both of which are available at any grocery store.

New England Clam Chowder

24 large chowder clams*
4 slices bacon, chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced
4 stalks celery, chopped
2 small onions, chopped
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 tsp dried thyme
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup cornstarch
kosher salt
black pepper
oyster crackers, for serving
chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Scrub the clams clean using a clean scrub brush. Place clams into a large pot and add 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cover. Steam the clams until they have all popped open, about 15 minutes. Remove the clams from the pot and set aside to cool.

Strain the clam steaming liquid through cheesecloth or a fine-mesh strainer to remove any grit and reserve the liquid. Remove the clams from the shells and chop well (I use my food processor and give it about 5 pulses). Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven or stockpot (I use the same one that I use to steam the clams), add the bacon and cook over medium-high until the bacon is crispy – about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon from the pot to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside to drain. Add the celery and onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.

Add the broth, potatoes, thyme, bacon, chopped clams, and reserved clam juice. Stir to combine, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 35 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Add in cream and cook for 15 minutes more.

Add 2 Tbsp of cold water to the cornstarch and mix to combine. Pour into chowder and stir until thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle with a bit of fresh parsley and a handful of oyster crackers before serving.

*If fresh clams are not available, substitute 2 (10 oz) cans of chopped clams and 2 (14 oz) bottles of clam juice or broth.

Crab Pie

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With all the time we’ve spending at home, we’ve done a lot more eating. We’ve gotten a bushel of crabs twice since the season has opened, and it’s not even Memorial Day. First world problems, right?

A bushel if blues usually constitutes one meal for our family, followed by a bunch of picking of the leftovers in the following days. We usually will take the legs and top shell off – making them easier to store in the fridge, as well as less mess and trash on your hands once picking commences.

I usually go for the standards when I have copious amounts of crab on my hands – my favorite crab cakes, cream of crab soup, creamy crab dip, Maryland crab soup. Sometimes I’ll go a little more out on a limb with something like crab pizza or a crabby Bloody Mary.…but crab pie? That’s a first for me.

I love savory pies – whether it’s a juicy tomato pie, or a quiche that’s chock full of roasted veggies and goat cheese. So, I was definitely down with the concept of a crab pie. Freshly picked crabmeat baked in a cheesy creamy custard base? Okay.

I’m happy to report it turned out to be a winner. If a crab cake and a bowl of crab dip were to have a lovechild – it would be this crab pie. It’s rich and filling, and super impressive. I served it warm, with a nice green salad to lighten and brighten – and it was a perfect meal.

Crab Pie

1 refrigerated pie crust
2 eggs
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup half and half
1 tsp J.O. or your favorite seafood spice
4 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
4 oz. swiss or mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 Tbsp finely chopped onion
1/2 pound lump crab meat, picked over for shells

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Roll out and place pie crust into 10-inch pie plate. Pierce bottom of crust a few times with a fork. Set aside.

In a medium bowl combine eggs, mayo, half and half, spice, cheeses, and onion. Mix until combined. Add the crabmeat and gently fold in until incorporated, being careful not to break up the lumps if possible.

Pour into pie crust and place in oven. Bake for about 40 minutes, until filling is set and top is golden brown.

Remove and let sit for about 30 minutes before cutting. Leftovers can be refrigerated for 3 days. Reheat in oven at 400 for about 10 minutes.