Fried Mush

A traditional Maryland dish made for breakfast or as a side dish.

Ingredients:
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup cold water
3 cups boiling water
1 1/2 tsp. salt

Instructions:
Mix corn meal with cold water.  Add to boiling, salted water.  Cover, cook over boiling water for half an hour, stirring occasionally.  Pour into shallow dish about 1/2 inch thick, and put aside in cold place to set.  Cut mush into diamond shaped pieces or rounds (a cookie cutter may be used).  Sprinkle lightly with flour and pan fry in a small amount of hot shortening until golden brown on both sides.  An excellent side dish for a platter of Maryland Fried Chicken.
Courtesy Maryland's Way The Hammond-Harwood House Cookbook

Maryland Fried Tomatoes

A taste of the Old South.

Ingredients:
4 large, slightly under ripe tomatoes
1/4 cup fine dry, unseasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. seasoning salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. thyme leaves
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper
1 egg beaten with 1 Tbsp. water
butter

Instructions:
Wash tomatoes and remove stems.  cut each tomato in three thick slices.  combine bread crumbs with the next five ingredients.  Mix well.  Dip tomato slices in egg mixture, then roll in crumb mixture.  Sauté in melted butter over medium heat, turning once to lightly brown both sides.  Serve hot.  Makes 12 slices.
Courtesy 100 Best Recipes For 100 Years by McCormick

Maryland Style Potato Salad

A great version with traditional Maryland style seasonings

3 cups cooked potatoes, diced
3 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup onion, diced
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. seafood seasoning
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/3 cup mayonnaise
3 Tbsp. sweet pickles, finely diced
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
In a large bowl, mix together the potatoes and eggs.  Add the remaining ingredients and mix lightly but thoroughly.  Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving so flavors develop.
Courtesy Chesapeake Bay Cookbook

Silver Queen Soufflé

Silver Queen corn from the Eastern Shore is famous for its sweetness.

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
2 Tbsp. flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 cup milk
2 cups fresh Silver Queen Corn (or what is available), scraped from the cob
2 eggs, separated

Instructions:
Melt butter in large saucepan.  Blend in flour, salt and pepper.  Gradually stir in milk and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thick.  Add corn and mix well.  Beat egg whites until stiff and set aside.  Beat egg yolks until thick and lemon colored, and stir into corn mixture.  Fold in egg whites and pour into buttered 1 1/2 quart casserole.  Bake in preheated oven at 350° for 30 minutes.  Serve immediately.  Yields 4 to 6 servings.
Courtesy From A Lighthouse Window by The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum

Traditional picnic favorite with a gourmet twist!

Ingredients:
8 oz. Maryland crabmeat
6 hard cooked eggs
3 Tbsp. celery, finely chopped
4 heaping tbsp. mayonnaise
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 tsp. salt
a few dashes of pepper
1/4 tsp. parsley flakes
3 dashes dried oregano leaves
3 dashes garlic powder
4 drops worcestershire sauce

Instructions:
Peel eggs and cut lengthwise.  Remove yolks, put in a bowl and mash well.  Add celery, mayonnaise and seasonings.  Add crabmeat and mix well.  Stuff egg whites with yolk mixture.  Chill before serving.  Makes 1 dozen.
Courtesy Md. Dept. Agriculture

Tomato Pie

Delicious as an appetizer or lunch dish!

Ingredients:
Pastry dough for single crust 9 inch pie (a package of pre-made dough works well)
6 ripe tomatoes, peeled and cut in 1/2 inch thick slices
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
pinch ground mace
1 cup dried bread crumbs
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup butter
1 egg, beaten with 1 tbsp. water

Instructions:
Prepare pastry dough, wrap and chill (or leave pre-made package in refrigerator).  Preheat oven to 350°.  Butter the bottom of a 9 inch pie pan.  Make a layer of tomato slices in pan and sprinkle with some of the sugar, salt, pepper, mace and bread crumbs.  Continue making layers as described, ending with bread crumbs.  Sprinkle on lemon juice and dot with butter.  Roll out pastry dough (or remove 1 piece from package), transfer to pan and flute edges.  Brush the top with egg-water mixture.  Bake for 30-35 minutes or until nicely browned.  Serves 6 to 8.
Courtesy The Chesapeake Bay Cookbook by John Shields

A classic from Maryland's colonial times!

Ingredients:
1 stick butter
2 cups white corn meal
3 cups boiling water
5 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
3 well beaten eggs
1 1/2 cups milk

Instructions:
Add butter to boiling water and gradually stir in corn meal.  Cool.  After cooling,  add to the mixture the sugar, salt, eggs and milk.  Mix well and pour into a buttered casserole dish.  Bake at 350° for 1 hour.  Serve hot.  Serves 6 to 8.
Courtesy My Favorite Maryland Recipes by Helen Avalynne Tawes

Bacon Potato Salad

A great version of an American favorite!

Ingredients:
2 lbs. red potatoes
1 Tbsp. salt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. stone ground mustard
8 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled
1/3 cup chopped green onions
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
Quarter the potatoes and place in a large pot.  Cover with cold water, add the salt and bring to a boil.  Lower heat and simmer gently for about 20 minutes or until potato slips off a fork when speared.  Drain and place in a mixing bowl.  In another small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and mustard.  Pour over the potatoes and gently toss to coat.  Sprinkle with the bacon, green onions, salt, pepper and parsley.  Fold to mix.  Chill before serving.  Serves 6.
Courtesy Cooking With Crab by Margie Kauffman