A Winning Recipe
Skipper’s Pier Restaurant and Dock Bar’s new owners Dave Rosage and Jessica LeCronier are clearly risk takers. In May, the young, engaged duo combined their expertise to take over the landmark Deale restaurant. He’s the entrepreneurial owner of several small businesses, including a food truck and snowball stand in Pasadena. She’s the culinary expert, a graduate of Johnson & Wales University with experience as sous and pastry chefs.
As if operating a large waterfront restaurant weren’t challenging enough, Jessica tested her meddle at this year’s Maryland Seafood Festival’s popular Crab Soup Cook-off. The new soup she developed for the competition won raves and first-place recognition from the judges in the Alternative Crab Soup category.
Highlighting local produce and fresh seafood, the chowder has been offered as a special throughout the summer — in limited quantities. The delicious, rich meal in a bowl combines crab, smoked bluefish and sweet local corn. While the combination of all the ingredients makes the soup special, the whole wouldn’t succeed without the parts. As the sweet corn season is ending, so too is this soup’s summer in the sun.
Skipper’s Pier’s new owners Jessica LeCronier and Dave Rosage. |
LeCronier has revealed her recipe so that home cooks can give it a go with the season’s last corn. With many steps, it’s no easy feat. You may prefer to hurry over to Skipper’s and order a cup before it’s gone.
Skipper’s Pier Corn & Crab Chowder with Smoked Blue Fish
2 quarts fish stock (prepare ahead of time and cool)
3 quarts heavy cream
1 lb. bacon
1 large onion (diced)
4 stalks celery (diced)
2 carrots (diced)
3 large russet potatoes
6 ears Maryland sweet corn
1 lb. butter
salt & pepper to taste
1 tbsp. garlic (minced)
1 lb. Maryland crabmeat (lump)
1 cup flour
Blue corn chips for garnish
Dice potatoes into small cubes. Coat in olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake at 350 for 15 mins. or until soft and golden brown. Let cool.
In a large stock pot, cook bacon with ½ lb. butter. Add onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Cook until onions are clear.
Add fish stock and heavy cream. Bring stock to boil. Meanwhile, cook corn, shaving cobs with a knife. Set aside.
In a sauté pan, melt ½ lb. butter. Add one-cup flour and stir to make a roux. Add roux to soup when it comes to a boil. Cook until thick. Stir in crab meat, cooled potatoes and corn. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with blue corn chips and smoked blue fish.
Fish Stock
Leftover bones from rockfish & bluefish
1 onion (diced)
2 Bay leaves
1 lb. mushrooms
2 tbsp. fresh parsley
1 sprig thyme
1 tsp. peppercorns
½ cup white wine
1 gallon water
Bring ingredients to a boil. Reduce to a simmer for 2 hours. Allow stock to cool. Skim fat from top and refrigerate.
Smoked Bluefish
2 8-oz. filets Maryland bluefish, skin-on
Marinade: Whisk together
¼ cup soy sauce
1 bay leaf (chopped)
½ cup brown sugar
1 tsp. Kosher salt
1 tbsp. lemon juice
Marinate bluefish for at least 2 hours (4 max)
Smoke bluefish for 1½ hours with hickory wood chips & charcoal. Let cool and refrigerate.
Enjoy!
Gotta tasty tip for next week’s Dish? Email Lisa Knoll at [email protected].