Maryland Side Dish Recipes

Side dishes have long played an important part in Marylanders' daily life whether it be family meals or picnics. Maryland's variety of local produce especially tomatoes, corn, and potatoes has made these time tested recipes favorites for generations.

Maryland Fried Tomatoes
Courtesy 100 Best Recipes For 100 Years by McCormick

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.

 

Old Bay Potato Macaroni Salad
Courtesy Crabby Patty

Ingredients:

1 cup elbow macaroni, cooked, drained
1 cup finely chopped cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped green bell peppers
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup drained sweet pickle relish
1 - 1 1/2 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning

Instructions:

Blend mayonnaise, Old Bay and salt. Mix into all other ingredients. Mix well. Chill.

 

Devilish Crab Eggs
Courtesy Maryland Deptartment Agriculture

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.

 

Old Bay Potato Green Bean Salad
Courtesy Crabby Patty

Ingredients:

3 lbs. red potatoes, cut in 1 inch cubes
1/2 lb. green beans, fresh or frozen
1 cup chopped cucumber
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
4 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning

Instructions:

Place potatoes in medium saucepan. Add water to cover. Bring to boil. Cook 5 to 6 minutes or until potatoes are just tender. Add green beans and cook an additional 3 minutes. Drain. In a large bowl, mix potatoes, beans and remaining ingredients. Cover. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Stir and serve!

 

Silver Queen Souffle
Courtesy From A Lighthouse Window by The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum

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

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. butter
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.

 

Honey Baked Squash
Courtesy White House Cookbook by Hugo Ziemann and F.L. Gillette

Ingredients:
2 medium acorn squash (about 1 pound each)
1/4 cup honey
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. allspice

Instructions:
Cut each squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membrane. Combine honey, lemon juice, and allspice. Spoon into squash shells. Place squash in an 11"x7"x2" baking dish. Cover dish and bake at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes, basting occasionally with the honey mixture. Uncover dish and bake an additional 5 minutes or until squash is tender. Serves 4.

 

Maryland Style Potato Salad
Courtesy Chesapeake Bay Cookbook

A great version with traditional Maryland style seasonings

Ingredients:
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 (like Old Bay)
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.

 

Bacon Potato Salad
Courtesy Cooking With Crab by Margie Kauffman

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.

 

Fried Mush
Courtesy Maryland's Way - The Hammond-Harwood House Cookbook

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.

 

Spoon Bread
Courtesy My Favorite Maryland Recipes Cookbook by Helen Avalynne Tawes

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.

 

Easy Old Bay Potato Salad
Courtesy Crabby Patty

Ingredients:

4 medium potatoes - boiled, peeled & sliced
4 tbsp. chopped onion
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
2 tbsp. chopped celery
1 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
4 eggs hard boiled, chopped (optional)

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients. Chill about 2 hours and serve.

 

Tomato Pie
Courtesy The Chesapeake Bay Cookbook by John Shields

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.

 

Maple Baked Beans

Ingredients:
1 quart parboiled beans (dried limas, navy, etc.)
1 cup Maryland Maple Syrup
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. dry mustard powder
1/4 lb. sliced bacon

Instructions:

Place all ingredients together in a casserole dish or bean pot, placing bacon slices on top. (Option: Add 1 small chopped onion.) Bake in a 300 degree over for 4 hours. Serves 6 to 8.

Tip: Cheat and start with plain Campbell’s Pork & Beans.

 

Old Bay Squash & Tomatoes
Courtesy Crabby Patty

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 medium zucchini, sliced thinly
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 tomatoes, cored, seeded and chopped
1 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

In a large skillet, heat olive oil on medium high. Add zucchini and onion and sauté 5 minutes or until tender-crisp. Add tomatoes, Old Bay and pepper. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and cook 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Yum!