Flavors of Maine
A flavorful new cookbook proclaims we are living in the Golden Age of Maine food.
When I tell people that I moved to Maine for the food, I get some blank, disbelieving looks." So writes award-winning food author — and frequent Down East contributor — Brooke Dojny in her new cookbook, Dishing Up Maine: 165 Recipes That Capture Authentic Down East Flavors (Storey Publishing, www.storey.com ; paperback; 288 pages; $19.95). The blank looks are no surprise, she says. "Lots of people take for granted the wealth of ingredients found in Maine and are maybe only vaguely conscious of the groundswell — now amounting to an unstoppable movement — of Maine artisans turning out some of the finest foodstuffs currently being produced in this country.Dojny's interest in these artisans is what makes Dishing Up Maine more than a cookbook. It's actually closer to a survey on the Way We Eat Now, an assessment of the state of Maine food. Because in addition to sharing recipes of her own, Dojny — a winner of the prestigious James Beard Award — selects her favorite dishes from Maine restaurants, clam shacks, farmers' markets, and roadhouse diners. From Cleonice in Ellsworth to the Moose Point Tavern in Jackman, from Street & Co. in Portland to Thurston's Lobster Pound in Bernard — she takes us on an eating tour of the state. The following meal captures the rich flavor of the book — and of contemporary Maine.
Jalape?o Johnnycakes Topped with Smoked Fish
Makes about Sixty pancakes (about Ten servings)
Henry & Marty, a wonderful restaurant in Brunswick, serves these savory little cakes as an accompaniment to their luxurious lobster salad. The Johnnycakes have so much intrinsic flavor that I love them as an hors d'oeuvre, topped with a small piece of almost any smoked fish — salmon, arctic char, smoked Maine shrimp, or scallops.
3/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup low-fat or whole milk
2 tablespoons finely chopped seeded jalape?o chiles
4 tablespoons finely chopped scallions (about 4 scallions)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon liquid hot pepper sauce (see Note)
1 cup corn kernels (thawed frozen corn is fine)
1 tablespoon butter
Approximately 60 small pieces (the size of a quarter) smoked
salmon, arctic char, smoked shrimp, or scallops
1 Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, cumin, oregano, and salt in a bowl.
2 In another bowl, whisk the egg with the milk. Whisk in the jalape?os, two tablespoons of the scallions, oil, and hot pepper sauce. Gently whisk the egg mixture into the cornmeal mixture. Stir in the corn.
3 Heat the butter in a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Spoon out the batter by half-tablespoons to make pancakes about the size of silver dollars. Cook, turning once, until golden brown and cooked through, about one to two minutes. Remove to baking sheets and repeat until batter is used.
4 Serve immediately, or reheat in a 375˚F oven until just warm. Top each pancake with a piece of seafood, sprinkle with the remaining two tablespoons scallions, and serve.
Note: At Henry & Marty in Brunswick, they prefer Frank's hot sauce. Tabasco is fine, but be aware that it's a little hotter, so adjust to your taste.
Seared Halibut on Native Corn and Lobster Risotto
Makes Four servings
When Melissa Kelly and Price Kushner opened Primo in Rockland in 2000, the culinary world took notice — and beat a path to their door. If you can't get local or extremely fresh halibut, you could be consoled with the corn and lobster risotto — great on its own — that accompanies Primo's rendition of Maine halibut.
Native Corn and Lobster Risotto
1 ear of corn
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped onion
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 cups chicken, vegetable, or lobster stock (see Note), or a
combination, plus more if necessary
1/2 cup fresh shelled peas (from about 1/2 pound in the pod)
3/4 cup diced cooked lobster meat (about 3 ounces)
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
Seared Halibut
4 pieces (6 ounces each) halibut fillet
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 To make the risotto, stand the husked ear of corn on end and use a sharp knife to remove the kernels. Set aside.
2 Heat the butter and the oil in a medium-large, heavy saucepan. Add the onions and cook over medium heat until they begin to soften, about three minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for one minute. Add the rice and stir to coat with the butter and oil. Add the wine, raise the heat to high, and cook, stirring, until the liquid evaporates, one to two minutes.
3 Meanwhile, heat the broth in a saucepan.
4 Add one-third of the warm broth to the rice and cook, stirring almost constantly, until most of the liquid has absorbed, about five minutes. Repeat with another third of the broth. Add the last third of the broth, along with the corn and peas, and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is swollen and tender but still firm to the bite, about five minutes. Set aside, partially covered.
5 Preheat the oven to 500˚F.
6 Season the halibut on both sides with salt and pepper to taste. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the fish. Do not move the pieces until they begin to brown, two to three minutes. Turn the fish and place the whole pan in the oven for about five minutes or until they flake easily with a fork.
7 To finish the risotto, reheat over low heat, adding a bit more broth if necessary. Stir in the lobster meat and cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.
8 To serve, spoon risotto onto plates and lean the fish on the risotto at an angle. Sprinkle with the parsley and tarragon and serve.
Note: You can make a simple lobster stock by simmering lobster bodies in water to cover and then straining out the solids.
Graham-Cracker Cream Pie
MAKES Six to Eight SERVINGS
One of the standout cream pies at Helen's Restaurant in Machias is this graham-cracker cream, which is simply a luscious egg custard nestled in toasty crumbs and topped with either shiny meringue (as in this recipe) or lightly sweetened whipped cream.
Graham-cracker Crust and Topping
2 cups crushed graham crackers (from
about 15 double graham crackers)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cream Filling
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole milk
3 egg yolks
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Meringue (See Note)
3 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
5 tablespoons sugar
1 Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.
2 To make the crust and topping, toss together the graham-cracker crumbs, melted butter, and cinnamon in a bowl. Remove and reserve one quarter cup of the crumb mixture to use on the top. Press the remainder evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a nine-inch pie pan. Bake for five minutes, or until the crust just begins to smell toasty. Cool on a wire rack.
3 Reduce the oven temperature to 325˚ F.
4 To make the filling, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium-sized heavy saucepan. Slowly whisk in the milk and place the pan over medium-high heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil and is thick, about five minutes. Continue to cook for one minute longer, whisking until smooth.
5 Lightly beat the egg yolks in a small bowl. Whisk about a third of the hot mixture into the yolks to temper them, then return the yolk mixture to the saucepan. Cook, whisking constantly, until the custard almost reaches a boil, one to two minutes. Stir in the vanilla.
6 Pour the custard into the prepared pie shell and press a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
7 To make the meringue, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer in a large bowl until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks begin to form. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until the meringue is stiff, smooth, and glossy. Remove the plastic wrap from the custard. Beginning at the edges of the crust, spread the meringue over the custard. Sprinkle with the reserved crumb mixture.
8 Bake until the meringue is just touched with gold, about twelve minutes. Cool on a wire rack for at least two hours before serving.
Note: If you prefer, substitute one cup of heavy cream whipped with two tablespoons sugar for the meringue topping. Spread it over the cooled custard and refrigerate.
Excerpted From:
Dishing Up Maine
? 2006 by Brooke Dojny, with permission from Storey Publishing, www.storey.com
Jalape?o Johnnycakes Topped with Smoked Fish
Makes about Sixty pancakes (about Ten servings)
Henry & Marty, a wonderful restaurant in Brunswick, serves these savory little cakes as an accompaniment to their luxurious lobster salad. The Johnnycakes have so much intrinsic flavor that I love them as an hors d'oeuvre, topped with a small piece of almost any smoked fish — salmon, arctic char, smoked Maine shrimp, or scallops.
3/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup low-fat or whole milk
2 tablespoons finely chopped seeded jalape?o chiles
4 tablespoons finely chopped scallions (about 4 scallions)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon liquid hot pepper sauce (see Note)
1 cup corn kernels (thawed frozen corn is fine)
1 tablespoon butter
Approximately 60 small pieces (the size of a quarter) smoked
salmon, arctic char, smoked shrimp, or scallops
1 Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, cumin, oregano, and salt in a bowl.
2 In another bowl, whisk the egg with the milk. Whisk in the jalape?os, two tablespoons of the scallions, oil, and hot pepper sauce. Gently whisk the egg mixture into the cornmeal mixture. Stir in the corn.
3 Heat the butter in a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Spoon out the batter by half-tablespoons to make pancakes about the size of silver dollars. Cook, turning once, until golden brown and cooked through, about one to two minutes. Remove to baking sheets and repeat until batter is used.
4 Serve immediately, or reheat in a 375˚F oven until just warm. Top each pancake with a piece of seafood, sprinkle with the remaining two tablespoons scallions, and serve.
Note: At Henry & Marty in Brunswick, they prefer Frank's hot sauce. Tabasco is fine, but be aware that it's a little hotter, so adjust to your taste.
Seared Halibut on Native Corn and Lobster Risotto
Makes Four servings
When Melissa Kelly and Price Kushner opened Primo in Rockland in 2000, the culinary world took notice — and beat a path to their door. If you can't get local or extremely fresh halibut, you could be consoled with the corn and lobster risotto — great on its own — that accompanies Primo's rendition of Maine halibut.
Native Corn and Lobster Risotto
1 ear of corn
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped onion
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 cups chicken, vegetable, or lobster stock (see Note), or a
combination, plus more if necessary
1/2 cup fresh shelled peas (from about 1/2 pound in the pod)
3/4 cup diced cooked lobster meat (about 3 ounces)
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
Seared Halibut
4 pieces (6 ounces each) halibut fillet
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 To make the risotto, stand the husked ear of corn on end and use a sharp knife to remove the kernels. Set aside.
2 Heat the butter and the oil in a medium-large, heavy saucepan. Add the onions and cook over medium heat until they begin to soften, about three minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for one minute. Add the rice and stir to coat with the butter and oil. Add the wine, raise the heat to high, and cook, stirring, until the liquid evaporates, one to two minutes.
3 Meanwhile, heat the broth in a saucepan.
4 Add one-third of the warm broth to the rice and cook, stirring almost constantly, until most of the liquid has absorbed, about five minutes. Repeat with another third of the broth. Add the last third of the broth, along with the corn and peas, and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is swollen and tender but still firm to the bite, about five minutes. Set aside, partially covered.
5 Preheat the oven to 500˚F.
6 Season the halibut on both sides with salt and pepper to taste. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the fish. Do not move the pieces until they begin to brown, two to three minutes. Turn the fish and place the whole pan in the oven for about five minutes or until they flake easily with a fork.
7 To finish the risotto, reheat over low heat, adding a bit more broth if necessary. Stir in the lobster meat and cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.
8 To serve, spoon risotto onto plates and lean the fish on the risotto at an angle. Sprinkle with the parsley and tarragon and serve.
Note: You can make a simple lobster stock by simmering lobster bodies in water to cover and then straining out the solids.
Graham-Cracker Cream Pie
MAKES Six to Eight SERVINGS
One of the standout cream pies at Helen's Restaurant in Machias is this graham-cracker cream, which is simply a luscious egg custard nestled in toasty crumbs and topped with either shiny meringue (as in this recipe) or lightly sweetened whipped cream.
Graham-cracker Crust and Topping
2 cups crushed graham crackers (from
about 15 double graham crackers)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cream Filling
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole milk
3 egg yolks
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Meringue (See Note)
3 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
5 tablespoons sugar
1 Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.
2 To make the crust and topping, toss together the graham-cracker crumbs, melted butter, and cinnamon in a bowl. Remove and reserve one quarter cup of the crumb mixture to use on the top. Press the remainder evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a nine-inch pie pan. Bake for five minutes, or until the crust just begins to smell toasty. Cool on a wire rack.
3 Reduce the oven temperature to 325˚ F.
4 To make the filling, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium-sized heavy saucepan. Slowly whisk in the milk and place the pan over medium-high heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil and is thick, about five minutes. Continue to cook for one minute longer, whisking until smooth.
5 Lightly beat the egg yolks in a small bowl. Whisk about a third of the hot mixture into the yolks to temper them, then return the yolk mixture to the saucepan. Cook, whisking constantly, until the custard almost reaches a boil, one to two minutes. Stir in the vanilla.
6 Pour the custard into the prepared pie shell and press a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
7 To make the meringue, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer in a large bowl until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks begin to form. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until the meringue is stiff, smooth, and glossy. Remove the plastic wrap from the custard. Beginning at the edges of the crust, spread the meringue over the custard. Sprinkle with the reserved crumb mixture.
8 Bake until the meringue is just touched with gold, about twelve minutes. Cool on a wire rack for at least two hours before serving.
Note: If you prefer, substitute one cup of heavy cream whipped with two tablespoons sugar for the meringue topping. Spread it over the cooled custard and refrigerate.
Excerpted From:
Dishing Up Maine
? 2006 by Brooke Dojny, with permission from Storey Publishing, www.storey.com
