OCEAN CITY CHEF WINS FIRST PLACE IN ROCKFISH COOKING CONTEST
Doug Spencer, a chef at the Ocean City Convention Center, took first place honors in the 8th Annual Maryland Rockfish Celebration Cooking Contest. He received a prize of $500 and a silver bowl.
His dish was titled Potato Wrapped Rockfish with Oyster Fennel Gravy. The rockfish fillets were wrapped with delicately thin slices of potato which were then dipped in an egg wash and sautéed. It was served with a classic oyster and fennel gravy.
The second place winner was Christopher Willis, a chef for Jack Ryan Enterprises in Chesapeake Beach, Maryland. He received $350 and a silver bowl for his creation of Rockfish Llewellyn. Rockfish fillets were rubbed with mustard, basil and breadcrumbs, pan-seared and splashed with sherry then finished in the oven. It was served with a topping of shrimp, spinach and cheeses in a sherry cream sauce.
Ron Ormrod of Little River, South Carolina, placed third and received $200 and a silver bowl for his Rock, Roll and Remember dish. The rockfish fillets were brushed with a creamy horseradish sauce and rolled around thin slices of Proscuitto ham and jumbo shrimp and served with a 1930's style traditional creamy white sauce with hard boiled eggs.
The Maryland Rockfish Celebration Cooking Contest is sponsored by the Maryland Department of Agriculture's Seafood Marketing and Aquaculture Development Program and the Maryland Watermen's Association. It coincides with the Maryland Rockfish Celebration that promotes the commercial harvest of Maryland rockfish. Rockfish, the local name for striped bass, is the official state fish of the state of Maryland.
For a free recipe brochure containing the ten finalists of the contest, please send a business-size, self-addressed and stamped envelope to:
MARYLAND ROCKFISH CELEBRATION CONTEST
50 Harry S Truman Parkway
Annapolis, MD 21401
Or e-mail ecclesjo@mda.state.md.us and include Rockfish Contest in the subject line or visit our web site: www.mda.state.md.us .
Here is the winning recipe!
POTATO WRAPPED ROCKFISH WITH OYSTER FENNEL GRAVY
Douglas Spencer, Roland E. Powell Convention Center Ocean City, MD
4 5 ounce rockfish fillets
2 large Idaho potatoes
¼ stick butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 egg for egg wash
Cut potato in half length wise, with a slicer cut into thin strips. Blanch strips in boiling water for 2 minutes then shock in ice water. Baste fish with egg wash, wrap with potato strips. Season with salt and pepper. Lightly sauté in butter and olive oil until light brown. Finish in oven.
OYSTER FENNEL GRAVY
¼ stick butter
¼ cup diced onion, fennel and red pepper
1 tbsp chopped garlic and capers
1½ cups rough chopped oysters with liquor
½ cup chicken stock
1½ cups heavy cream
½ stick of butter
1 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon rubbed sage, thyme and seafood seasoning
Sauté onions, fennel, garlic, peppers, capers in butter and olive oil for 5 minutes. Stir in flour till roux forms. Add chicken stock, cream and oyster liquor. Bring to a simmer, mix well. Stir in oysters, sage, thyme, and seafood seasoning.
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