The Mid-Atlantic region, with its mild climate, abundance of river valleys with rich soil, and extensive coastline, was the perfect environment for the orchards and farms established by the early settlers who emigrated to America from England, Germany, the Netherlands, and other western countries. People from all over the world who have been attracted to the large cities of the Mid-Atlantic have, over the years, played an important role in the cuisine of this region.

New York The apple is the state fruit of the “Empire State,” so it makes sense that the apple muffin is the state muffin. The state tree is the sugar maple.

New Jersey “The Garden State” has the brook trout as its state fish and its state tree is the re oak.

Pennsylvania “The Keystone State,” adopted the ruffled grouse as its state bird: its state tree is the hemlock.

Delaware Known as the “First State,” Delaware choose the blue hen as the state bird. The state flower is the peach blossom and sweet goldenrod is the state herb.

Maryland The Maryland blue crab is the “Old Line State,” state crustacean. The rockfish is the state fish.

Virginia While the state is often referred to as “Old Dominion,” “Virginia Is For Lovers,” is the popular state slogan. The oyster is the state shell.

West Virginia Known as the “Mountain State,” West Virginia has the golden delicious apple as the state fruit. The sugar maple is the state tree and the honeybee is the state insect.

This Weeks Recipes:

Spicy Crab Soup
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
•    2 tbsp unsalted butter
•    1/2 cup onion, 1/2″ dice
•    1/2 cup celery, 1/2″ dice
•    1 cup potato, 1/4″ dice
•    2 cups tomatoes, peeled, seeded 1/2″ dice
•    1/2 cup corn kernels
•    2 cups chicken stock
•    1 tsp old bay seafood seasoning
•    1/2 tsp salt
•    1/4 tsp black pepper
•    1 cup crab meat, lump
•    1/2 cup green peas
•    1 tsp lemon juice
Directions:
1.    Heat the butter over medium heat and cook onion 4-minutes.
2.    Add the celery and cook 3-mintues.
3.    Add the potato, tomatoes, corn and chicken stock.
4.    Add the seasonings and cook 25-minutes.
5.    Correct the seasoning with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.

Note: Lump Crab needs to be checked prior to using. Bits and pieces can be found from the hand picking.

Egg, Cucumber and Tomato Salad
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
•    1/2 tsp black pepper
•    1/8 tsp salt
•    1 garlic clove, minced
•    3 tbsp olive oil
•    1 tbsp red wine vinegar
•    1 tbsp lemon juice
•    1/4 cup green onions , finely diced
•    4 eggs, hard-boiled
•    1/2 cup celery stalk with leaves, 1/4″ dice
•    1/2 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded, 1/4″ dice
•    6 red radishes, sliced
•    1 head Boston Bibb lettuce, shredded
•    2 tomatoes, ripe, thinly sliced
Directions:
1.    Mix the pepper, salt, garlic, oil, vinegar, lemon juice and green onions.
2.    Combine the eggs, celery, cucumber, radishes, and lettuce with most of the dressing.
3.    Fan some tomatoes slices on each plate and top with egg/letteuce mixture.
4.    Drizzle remaining dressing on top.

Note: Slice eggs right before you serve the salad.

Buffalo Chicken Wings
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
•    3 lb. chicken wings
•    6 cups vegetable oil, for frying
•    1/4 cup unsalted butter
•    3 tbsp hot sauce
•    2 tbsp cider vinegar
•    salt, to taste
•    2 cups celery sticks
•    Blue Cheese Dressing:
•    1/2 cup mayonnaise
•    1/4 cup yogurt
•    1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
Directions Wings:
1.    Cut the chicken wing tips, reserve for another use, and halve chicken wing at joint.
2.    Heat oil to 375*F, pat wings dry, and fry until cooked through, golden and crisp. 5-8 minutes.
3.    Drain on paper towel.
4.    Combine butter, hot sauce, vinegar and salt over medium heat, and warm until butter is melted.
5.    Add chicken wings and toss to coat.
Directions Dressing:
1.    Combine the mayonnaise and yogurt, stir in the blue cheese; dressing will not be smooth.
2.    Serve chicken wings with celery sticks and dressing.

Roast Duck with Garlic & Honey Sauce and Orange Flavored Winter Root Vegetables
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
•    1-5 lb. long island duck, whole
•    8 garlic cloves, peeled
•    salt & pepper
•    3/4 cup orange or tangerine juice, fresh, save the peels
•    6 tbsp unsalted butter
•    2 cups red onions, 1/2″ dice
•    1 cup parsnips, peeled 1″ dice
•    1 cup turnips, peeled, 1″ dice
•    2 cups carrots, 1″dice
•    1-1/2 cup dry red wine
•    1/4 cup honey
•    2 tbsp thyme, chopped
Directions:
1.    Preheat oven to 400*F.
2.    Rinse duck with cold water inside and out. Reserve the neck and liver. Trim the excess fat and skin.
3.    Pat dry and make 8-incisions in the duck breast and thighs, inserting a garlic clove into each incision. Prick the duck skin all over with a fork, but don’t pierce the meat.
4.    Rub the duck inside and out with orange or tangerine peels.
5.    Truss the duck and place breast side down on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast for 20-mintues.
6.    Turn duck breast side up and baste with fat; reduces the heat to 350*F and continue roasting and basting occasionally until desired doneness is achieved, 10-15 minutes more.
7.    Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat, add the onions and cook until they begin to soften, 2-mintues.
8.    Add the duck liver and cook, stirring until liver is firm, about 5-mintues. Remove and cut into small dice, then return to pan with onions.
9.    Add parsnips, turnips and carrots; cook 1-minute.
10.    Add remaining butter and 1/2 cup orange juice. Cook until just tender and liquid is almost gone, then set aside.
11.    While duck is roasting, make the sauce base. Bring the duck neck, remaining orange juice, wine, honey, thyme and 1-teaspoon pepper to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to very low and simmer 10-15 minutes, until the liquid is reduced to 1-cup.
12.    When duck is cooked, remove and let stand 10-mintues before carving.
13.    Meanwhile, pour the fat and pan juices into a container. Let stand until the clear yellow fat separates and rises to the top. Pour or skim off the yellow fat and pour juices back into roasting pan.
14.    Return pan to heat and add sauce base. Bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Reduce to sauce consistency and pour into a sauceboat.
15.    Carve the duck and serve with the vegetable mixture and sauce.

Roasted Potatoes and Pearl Onions
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
•    12 Red potatoes
•    12 Pearl onion, peeled
•    1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
•    3 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
•    1/2 tsp Salt
•    Black pepper
•    4 Thyme sprigs
Directions:
1.    Preheat the oven to 350*F.
2.    Starting at the top of each potato, pare away a 1/4 – inch-thick band of skin in a spiral.  This not only makes them look appealing but also allows the vinegar to penetrate during the slow cooking process.
3.    Combine the onions and potatoes in a baking dish just large enough to hold them.
4.    Add the butter and vinegar, and toss to coat.
5.    Add salt and pepper.  Bury the thyme springs in the vegetables.
6.    Bake for 1-hour or until tender, stirring the vegetables every 15 minutes.  (It is important to turn the vegetables ever 15 minutes if they are to brown evenly.)

Applesauce Cake with Caramel Glaze
Serves: one 10-inch cake
Ingredients:
•    1 cup Unsalted butter, room temperature
•    2 cups Brown sugar, packed
•    1 Egg
•    3 cups All-purpose flour
•    2 tsp Baking soda
•    1/4 tsp Salt
•    1 tsp Ground cinnamon
•    1 tsp Ground nutmeg
•    1 tsp Ground cloves
•    2 cups Applesauce, unsweetened
•    2 cups Raisins
•    1 cup Walnuts, coarsely chopped
For The Glaze:
•    1 cup Brown sugar, packed
•    1/4 cup unsalted butter
•    1/4 cup Evaporated milk
Directions:
1.    Preheat the oven to 350*F.  Grease ad flour a 10-inch tube pan.
2.    Cream the butter until smooth.  Gradually add the brown sugar, beating until light and fluffy.
3.    Add the egg; beat well.
4.    Sift together 2 1/2 cups of the flour, the baking soda, salt, and spices.
5.    Add to the creamed mixture in batches alternating with the applesauce.  Beat well after each addition.
6.    Dredge the raisins and walnuts in the remaining flour; fold into the batter.
7.    Pour the batter into the prepared pan.  Bake for 1-hour and 15-minutes or until cake tests done.
8.    Cool cake in pan 15 minutes, then invert onto a cake rack to cool completely.
9.    Meanwhile, prepare the glaze.  Combine the brown sugar, butter, and milk.
10.    Heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil and the sugar is dissolved.
11.    Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches soft-ball stage (240*F).  Remove from the heat, and beat about 5-minutes or until thick.
12.    Drizzle the hot sauce over the cooked cake.

Vichyssoise
Servings: 4
Ingredients
•    3 cups Leeks, use white part only
•    1/4 cup Unsalted butter
•    1/2 cup White onions, 1/2″ dice
•    2 cups all-pupose potatoes, peeled, 1/2″ dice
•    3 cups chicken stock
•    salt and white pepper
•    3/4 cup Milk
•    1 cup heavy cream
•    1/3 cup chives, snipped
Directions:
1.    Split the leeks lenghthwise, wash well to remove all sand and grit, then slice them.
2.    Heat the butter over medium heat and add the leeks and onions.  Cook slowly, browning them very lightly.
3.    Add the potatoes and chicken stock, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer.  Simmer until the leeks and potatoes are very tender, approximately 45-minutes.
4.    Puree the soup in a food processor, blender, or food mill, then run through a fine strainer.
5.    Return puree to the heat and add the milk and 1/2 cup cream.  Season to taste and return to a boil.  Strain again through a fine strainer.
6.    Let cool, then add remaining cream.  Chill throughly before serving, garnished with snipped chives.
7.

Beets, Belgian Endive and Feta Salad
Servings: 4
Ingredients
•    4 cups beets, mixed red and golden if available, whole
•    7 tbsp walnut oil
•    2 tbsp tarragon vinegar
•    salt and black pepper
•    1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
•    2 Belgian endive, firm and white
•    1 cup Feta cheese, crumbled
Direction:
1.    Preheat the oven to 400*F
2.    Leaving on the tails and 1-inch of the stem on the beets, rinse them, put them in a baking pan with 1/4-inch of water, cover, and bake until tender when pierced with a knife, 25-40 minutes depending on the size of the beets.
3.    Cool beets, then peel and dice into 1/2-inch cubes.
4.    Mix 6 tablespoons of the oil, the vinegar, salt, and pepper.
5.    Toss beets in half of the vinaigrette.
6.    Toss the walnuts with remaining walnut oil, salt, and pepper.  Bake in 350*F oven for 5-7 minutes or until they smell toasty.  Set aside to cool.
7.    Just before serving, quarter the endive, cut out the cores, and break into leaves.
8.    Arrange endive leaves in a spoke pattern on individual plates.  Spoon beets in the center.
9.    Lightly dress endive with vinaigrette.  Sprinkle the feta cheese over the salad and top with walnuts.

NOTE: If walnut oil is unavailable, use olive oil and 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard.

Scallops with Mushrooms and Asparagus
Servings: 4
Ingredients
•    4 tbsp unsalted butter
•    2 shallots, minced
•    3 cups white mushrooms, sliced
•    2 1/2 cups asparagus, peeled, cut into 2″ pieces, blanched
•    1/4 cup sherry wine
•    2 tbsp olive oil
•    12 oz scallops, sea or bay
•    salt and black pepper
•    4 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated
•    2 tbsp parsley, chopped
Directions:
1.    Heat 2 tablespoons butter and cook the shallots 1-minute.
2.    Add the mushrooms and cook 2-minutes, stirring.
3.    Add the asparagus, cook 1-minute, add the sherry, and set aside.
4.    Using a nonstick pan, heat the oil until very hot.
5.    Season the scallops, and sear until golden brown.
6.    Add the remaining butter halfway through cooking to achieve a nutty flavor.
7.    Divide mushrooms and aparagus among plates and top with scallops.
8.    Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and parsley, and serve.

“Shaker-Style” Turkey Cutlet
Serves: 4
Ingredients
•    8 turdey cutlets
•    salt and black pepper
•    As needed, unsalted butter
•    1 tbsp shallots, 1/4″ dice
•    1/2 cup dry white wine
•    1 1/4 cups Fond de veau de lie (brown stock)
•    1 cup tomato, peeled, seeded, 1/4″ dice
•    1 tbsp parsley, chopped
Directions:
1.    Pound the turkey cutlets to approximately 1/4″ thick.  Pat dry.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2.    Dredge cutlets in flour and shake off the excess.
3.    Heat the butter over medium-high heat.  Saute’ the cutlets approximately 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden brown.  Remove and keep warm.
4.    Discard the excess fat from the pan and return to medium-high heat.  Add the shallots and cook 1-minute, stirring often.
5.    Add the white wine and scrape up the pan drippings, reducing liquid by half.
6.    Add the brown stock and reduce to sauce (nappe’) consistency.
7.    Add the tomato and cook for 1-minute or until hot.
8.    Return cutlets to the pan and reheat, then remove to plates, 2 cutlets per serving.
9.    Stir 2 tablespoons butter into pan drippings, correct the seasoning, and add the parsley.  Spoon sauce over cutlets.

Ginger Pound Cake with Warm Cranberries
Servings  4-6
Ingredients
•    2 cups all-purpose flour
•    1/2 tsp baking powder
•    1/4 tsp salt
•    1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
•    1/2 tsp orange zest, minced
•    1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
•    3 eggs, room temperature
•    2 tbsp ginger, grated
•    1/2 cup milk
Directions:
1.    Preheat the oven to 350*F.  Butter and lightly flour a loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.
2.    Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.
3.    Cream the butter and zest until light and fluffy, about 5-minutes.
4.    Gradually add the sugar and beat until the mixture is fluffy again.
5.    Add the eggs 1 at a time, being sure that they are well incorporated after each addition.
6.    Mix in the ginger.
7.    Add the four mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour.
8.    Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
9.    Serve cake warm with Warm Cranberries.

Warm Cranberries
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
•    3/4 cup granulated sugar
•    3/4 cup water
•    1 orange
•    3 cups cranberries
Directions:
1.    Combine the sugar and water over medium heat and bring to a boil, making sure all the sugar is dissolved.
2.    Cut a 2″ zest strip from the orange using a vegetable peeler; do not include any of the bitter, white pith.
3.    Add the zest and cranberries to the syrup and reduce to a low simmer.
4.    Simmer for 6-8 minutes or until the cranberries begin to pop, but do not overcook.  The berries should be soft but still retain their shape.
5.    Remove from the heat and leave in the syrup to cool.

Eggs are an excellent food because of their high protein content, low cost and readily available. They are extremely versatile and are used throughout the kitchen, either served alone or as an ingredient in a prepared dish.

PARTS OF THE EGG

• Shell - The outermost covering of the egg. It prevents microbes from entering and moisture from escaping, and also protects the egg during handling and transport.
• Yolk – The yellow portion of the egg. It constitutes just over 1/3 of the egg and contains 3/4 of the calories, most of the minerals and vitamins and all the fat.
• Albumin – The clear portion of the egg. It is often referred to as the egg white. It constitutes about 2/3 of the egg and contains more than half of the protein and riboflavin. Egg whites do not contain cholesterol and are often added to egg dishes such as omelets to reduce total fat content.

Egg freshness is determined by placing the egg in water. Fresh eggs will lie flat, older eggs will float upright. This is due to the “air sac” in the egg. The older the egg is, the bigger the air sac.

APPLYING VARIOUS COOKING METHODS

Dry-Heat Cooking Methods:

Baking:

• Shirred Eggs – Also referred to as baked eggs. They are prepared in individual ramekins or baking dishes. Ingredients such as breakfast meats or vegetables are added to the ramekins. Then the egg is placed over the top and baked in the oven.
• Quiche – Consist of an egg custard (eggs, cream or milk and seasonings) and fillings baked in a crust.

Sautéing:

• Scrambled eggs – Are eggs whisked with seasonings and then sautéed.
• Omelets – They begin as scrambles eggs then are either folded around or filled with a warm savory mixture.
• Frittatas – They are essentially open-faced omelets.

Pan-Frying:

• Pan-fried eggs – Are commonly referred to as (sunny side up, over easy, over medium, or over hard).
• Basted eggs – Are cooked over low-heat with the hot butter from the pan spooned over them as they cook.

Moist-Heat Cooking Methods:

In-Shell cooking (simmering) – The difference with soft-cooked eggs (also called soft-boiled) and hard-cooked eggs (also called hard-boiled) is time. Both refer to eggs cooked in their shell in hot water.

Despite the word “Boiled”, in their names, the eggs cooked in the shell should never be boiled. Boiling toughens eggs. The eggs should be simmered. Soft-cooked eggs are simmered for 3-5 minutes; hard-cooked eggs may be simmered for as long as 12-15 minutes.

Procedure:

1. Fill saucepan or stockpot with sufficient water to cover the eggs. Bring water to a simmer.
2. Carefully lower each egg into the simmering water. Simmer uncovered for appropriate time.
3. Lift each egg out of water with a slotted spoon and place in an ice bath. When the eggs are cool enough to handle, peel them and serve.

Poaching – When poaching eggs always use cold eggs. A cold egg stays together better when dropped into the hot water. The water for poaching is help at approximately 200*F, a gentle simmer.

Procedure:

1. Fill saucepan or stockpot with at least 3 inches of water. Bring water to a simmer.
2. One at a time crack egg into a small bowl or cup. gently slide the egg into the simmering water abd cook for 3-5 minutes.
3. Lift the egg out of the water with a slotted spoon. Trim any ragged edges with a paring knife. Serve immediately.

Poaching egg

Poached egg in ice bath

The best way to use poached eggs: Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise sauce

This Weeks Recipes: Basic Egg Recipes

Fried Eggs

Servings: 2

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 eggs whole
• Clarified butter

PROCEDURE:

1. Break the eggs into a bowl; make sure not to break the yolk.
2. Preheat a sauté pan with clarified butter to medium high heat.
3. Slide the egg into the pan and cook over medium high heat until the white is cooked and the yolk is soft, for “Sunny side up”.  Flip the eggs and cook for a minute for “Over easy”. Continue to cook for “Over medium” and “Over hard”.

Poached Eggs

Yield: 1 serving

INGREDIENTS:

• Water for pot
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 fl oz vinegar
• 2 eggs

PROCEDURE:

1. Bring the water to a simmer, add the salt and vinegar.
2. Crack one egg into a cup and carefully add it to the water. Repeat with the other egg.
3. Cook the eggs to the desired doneness, approximately 3 to 5 minutes. Remove them from the water with a slotted spoon and serve as or carefully lower them into ice water and refrigerate for later use.

Soft Boiled Eggs

Servings: 2

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 eggs, whole

PROCEDURE:

1. Place the eggs in a pot and cover them with hot water
2. Bring the water to a boil, turn down the heat to simmer, boil the eggs for 3-5 minutes from this point forward.
3. Shock the eggs in cold water to stop the cooking and cool.  Peel as soon as possible.

Hard Boiled Eggs

Servings: 2

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 eggs, whole

PROCEDURE:

1. Place the eggs in a pot and cover them with hot water.
2. Bring the water to a boil, turn down the heat to simmer, boil the eggs for 10-12 minutes from this point forward.
3. Shock the eggs in cold water to stop the cooking and cool.  Peel as soon as possible.

Scrambled Eggs

Servings: 2

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 eggs, whole
• Season to taste
• Clarified butter as needed

PROCEDURE:

1. Break the eggs into a bowl, season and whip them just before cooking.
2. Preheat a sauté pan with clarified butter to medium high heat.
3. Add the egg mixture and cook the eggs, stirring with a wooden spoon, until cooked to desired doneness.

Omelet

Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 eggs, whole
• Season to taste
• Pre-cooked fillings as needed
• Clarified butter as needed

PROCEDURE:

1. Break the eggs into a bowl, season and whip them, just before cooking. Preheat a sauté pan with clarified butter to medium high heat.
2. Add the egg mixture and stir with a wooden spoon, constantly moving the pan back and forth until the egg has slightly coagulated. Pull cooked egg from the sides of the pan toward the center, allowing raw egg to run underneath. If desired, add pre-cooked filling or herbs at this point.
3. Flip one side of the omelet toward the center with a spatula. Slide the omelet onto a plate so that it lands folded in thirds with the seam side underneath.

Suggested fillings – Pre-cooked mushrooms, spinach, peppers, onions, diced ham; Finely grated cheese.  Omelet aux fine herbs:  chopped parsley, chives, and tarragon

Frittata – Farmer Style Omelet

Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 oz bacon, diced
• 2 oz onion, diced
• 8 oz potato, par-cooked, diced
• 8 eggs, whole
• Season to taste
• Clarified butter as needed

PROCEDURE:

1. Cook the bacon in a sauté pan until the fat is rendered. Add the onions and sauté for 1 minute; add the potato and sauté until lightly browned.
2. Break the eggs into a bowl, season and whip them. Add the egg mixture and stir with a wooden spoon.
3. Place the pan into a preheated 350 degrees oven and cook until the egg has coagulated, remove the pan and serve.
4. Other par-cooked vegetables may also be added to this preparation.

Soufflé Omelet

Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 eggs, whole
• Season to taste
• 2 oz   cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 tsp chives, sliced
• Clarified butter as needed

PROCEDURE:

1. Separate the eggs, beat the egg yolks, and season to taste.
2. Add the grated cheese and chives and fold in.
3. Beat the egg whites to medium soft peaks, fold the egg whites into the yolks.
4. Pour the batter into a preheated buttered pan and bake at 400 degrees until the egg has set, but not dry.  Serve immediately.

Crepes

Yield: 30 each

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs, whole
• 6 egg yolks
• 12 fl oz water
• 18 fl oz milk
• 6 oz granulated sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 14 oz flour
• 5 oz unsalted butter, melted 
clarified butter as needed

Methods:

1. Whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, water and milk. Add the sugar, salt and flour; whisk together. Stir in the melted butter. Cover and set aside to rest for at least 1-hour before cooking.
2. Heat a small sauté or crepe pan; brush lightly with clarified butter. Pour in 1-1 1/2 fl oz of batter, swirl to coat the bottom of the pan evenly.
3. Cook the crepe until set and light brown, approximately 30 seconds. Flip it over and cook a few seconds longer. Remove from the pan. Repeat this process until all the batter is used.
4. Cooked crepes may be used immediately or covered and held briefly in a warm oven.

Variations:

• Savory Crepes – Reduce the sugar to 1 tablespoon. Substitute up to 5 oz buckwheat flour or whole-wheat flour for an equal amount of the all-purpose flour if desired.
• Savory Crepes Florentine – Fill Savory Crepes with creamed spinach topped with Mornay sauce.

Bacon on Sheet Pan

Yields: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

• 16 Bacon slices 
parchment paper

Methods:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375°F.
2. Line a half pan with parchment paper. Layout bacon slices on the parchment paper.  Cook in oven until desired doneness is achieved.



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