Butternut Blue Crab Chowder and GF Bread

As another Lenten Friday rolled over on the calendar I decided to change things up a bit and revisit an old favorite that Paul and I enjoyed "back in the day," and "before kids," - the Blue Crab. 

The Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States located between and a part of Maryland and Virginia is known for, among many things,  the Blue Crab.  We lived in southern Virginia, where the Elizabeth River, a tidal estuary approximately six miles long and deep enough to host the Tall Ships branches off to the Lafayette River, also approximately six miles long, not so deep and located entirely in the City of Norfolk. 

It was in the Lafayette, the estuary off the estuary off the Bay estuary, not a tall ship in sight, where we would put in to crab.  We had two crab pots- only amount permitted and to not upset watermen.  Now, a crab pot typically, and the kind we used, is about 2'x2'x2' - weighs maybe 14 or 15 pounds with bait (a turkey neck or chicken leg).  Full of crabs, it weighs a bit more, naturally - heavier the better! -sorry, greed showing there-   Pots are heavier than traps, therefore requiring a bit of physical ability to maneuver. Lowering the pot into the water it is important to try and keep the pot upright- it is attached to a nylon rope long enough to let the pot sit on the bottom, and then marked with a buoy up top.  Watermen have their distinct colored buoys and private crabbers need to be sure not to infringe on the colored markers or you can lose the pot.  Actually, if they are having a bad day, you can lose your pot anyway. Tricky business, crabbing.

~oh,  and our canoe ~ thus explaining why the shallow and calmer waterway!

We'd row out, drop the pots.  Pots need to be checked daily or you need to bring them in until you can check them daily.  We'd row back to our pots next day, sometimes in very early morning, sometimes in dusk to near darkness.  Next to our buoy, Paul would yell "lean," I would lean to one side and Paul would heft the pots in from the other side, empty crabs into the canoe, and we'd row off with the bounty.  Crazy.  But oh so worth it. 

Now, that we are landlocked we dearly miss the days on the water and the fresh seafood and shellfish.  Bringing it back, in a small way,  to our home in the mountains~

Butternut Blue Crab Chowder. 

Ingredients and how to:

1 butternut squash
Old Bay Seasoning
thyme
3 cups chicken broth - homemade best but can be substituted.  Use low sodium.
butter
1 lb crab meat * it takes approximately 12 blue crabs to pick a pound of crab. Lot of work. Canned    runs around $11.*
1/2 cup whole cream or Half and Half- optional
Sherry- optional

I use no salt or pepper except what is in the broth.  Crab has a saltiness to it all on its own and Old Bay gives it the peppery touch.

Dutch oven onto stovetop with a tablespoon butter or olive oil
Peel and chop butternut squash.

 

Toss into Dutch oven, coat with butter and heat through about five minutes.  Add enough water just to cover.  Bring to boil, let simmer with lid on for about 25 minutes to soften squash.  Test to be sure squash is "mash soft."  Turn off heat. Using potato masher go to work if you like a thicker texture, or use an immersion blender for a smoother texture.

 

Place squash back over heat, add in broth, 1/2 tablespoon Old Bay, 1/2 teaspoon dried Thyme and 1lb crab meat.  Simmer, not boiling, for about 30 minutes to fuse flavor.

 

 

 

 

While chowder is heating - time for Quick Gluten Free Bread

I simplified this recipe from one I found a year or so ago in "Gluten Free Living"

Ingredients and How to:

Oven to 400

Parchment paper on baking sheet

 

1 1/2 cups gluten free flour (not with baking soda in it!)

2 tablespoons ground flax

1/2 cup almond flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

1/2 cup water

1 egg

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil (or canola or vegetable).

 

Combine dry ingredients - sift with whisk is fine.

Combine wet ingredients

Add wet into dry and mix just until combined. 

 

Rinse hands in cold water.  With wet hands divide dough in half and form in two small loaves placed about four inches or more apart onto parchment paper.  With sharp knife cut cross onto the top. 

 

 

 

Place in oven for about 25 minutes.  Every oven is different. These should be browned and you should be able to tap on them as you would a biscuit for doneness.

 

 

Back to Chowder:

 

About 10 minutes before serving, stir in  1/2 cup of cream and sherry.

these liquid measures are great!

 

Allow chowder to come back to temperature (don't boil) and serve with bread!  Makes six good sized servings and this chowder is very filling.

 

 

Blue crab wineglasses made for us by Creighton's Creations

 

 

Back to the Bay.  When we left the Chesapeake area there were several proposed programs for preserving the Bay and the way of life it provides for watermen and their families.  The Lafayette after we left had some pretty severe pollutant issues.  However, I am happy to report that due to tremendous efforts it is recovering.  Reef Balls, which are large concrete chunks filled with oyster larvae have been dropped and these Reef Balls are homes and potential homes to several species of shellfish.  Another fantastic sign- a good luck omen really - is a seahorse was discovered in the River September 2012.  Now, the Lined Seahorses do call the Chesapeake Bay home, but the great sign here is that Seahorses are choosy in their habitats - they like them clean!

                                                           
                                                                     Always HOPE!