Talbot Chef Crab Cookoff

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Talbot Chef Crab Cookoff

Viva, Crustacea! The 2nd annual Talbot County Crab Cookoff was held Sunday, July 29th at the Chesapeake Maritime Museum in St. Michaels. Last year, Michael Rork of Town Dock Restaurant walked away with the prestigious cup and chef's jacket. This year, first prize went to Michael Quattucci's team from Restaurant Local for "Crab, Four Ways":

Restaurant Local's "Crab, Four Ways"

   - Mini-Crabcakes on creamed local corn with crispy leeks;
   - Bibb lettuce wrap with jumbo lump crab and two sauces;
   - Crispy crab ravioli on pea tendrils with sherry-bacon vinaigrette;
   - Gazpacho made with jumbo lump crab, avocado, cucumber, chive, fennel and grape tomatoes in a clear tomato broth.

Daniel Pochron of Mason's take on crab avocado cannelloni

Second place went to Daniel Pochron of Mason's in Easton with a creative and gorgeous Crab and Avocado Cannelloni, complemented with a grilled corn salad with gazpacho sauce. Super thin slices of avocado formed the wrap for the crab. We're going to be trying that one.

Michael Rork of Town Dock restaurant in St. Michaels took third, with a Swarzenegger vow to be back next year. His entry: Soft shell crab tempura served with lump crab on a cup of corn salsa gazpacho. Russ Wood, on the Town Dock team, showed us how the "cup" was formed -- with paper-thin slices of cucumber.

Town Dock's soft shell tempura with corn salsa gazpacho

There were seven teams participating, and we saw some really innovative dishes for using the fab Blue Crab. Barbara Helish of Bella Luna served a simple, delicious crab salad in baked Gruyere cheese baskets. Jen Bridges of Market House Gourmet served crab atop a chilled cantaloupe soup with hot crab-prosciutto scones. Glen Soulia of Sherwood's Landing at the Inn at Perry Cabin was another softshell fan, serving his pan-seared soft crab on an heirloom tomato and fennel fondue.

Judging the event

And Randolph Sprinkle of Key Lime Cafe went with a sampler as well, serving a crab and scallion cake, softshell crab, softshell crab Asian noodle salad, and a ladle of crab creme.

MORE PHOTOS OF THE EVENT CONTINUED HERE