Midday

Midday's What Ya Got Cookin'? segment returns. What dishes or recipes have you been obsessed with this summer?

We are joined by a pair of heralded local chefs who have recipes that take advantage of Maryland's summer seafood and vegetable offerings.

Gwyn Novak is a professional chef and cooking instructor who owns and operates "No Thyme to Cook," a cooking school on Solomons Island in southern Maryland.

John Shields is the owner of Gertrude's at the Baltimore Museum of Art and author of several cookbooks.

Both chefs shared a few of their favorite recipes with us:

• Grilled Peach Crostini with Whipped Ricotta - Serves 8

Ingredients: · 1 C. whole milk ricotta
· Kosher salt
· Freshly cracked black pepper
· 4 peaches, pitted and quartered
· Extra virgin olive oil
· 1 loaf sourdough, thickly sliced
· ¼ C. toasted pecans, chopped
· 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon thyme (or fresh thyme leaves with ½ tsp. lemon zest)
· 2 Tbsp. hot honey
· Edible flowers for garnish

Directions:
To whip the ricotta:

Place the ricotta in a blender or food processor with a pinch of salt and pepper. Blend until smooth and light. Season to taste.

Brush the peaches with olive oil. Grill until they begin to give off juice and have grill marks. Remove from the grill and set aside. You can now slice these in half.

Lightly brush the sourdough with olive oil. Grill lightly until you see grill marks. Remove from the grill.

To assemble:

Spread whipped ricotta onto the sourdough slices.
Top with sliced peaches, toasted pecans, lemon thyme.
Drizzle with hot honey.

• Corn, Crab and Red Pepper Salad

Ingredients:
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
1 large garlic clove, peeled, and mashed
Juice of 1 lime
½ pound fresh or pasteurized backfin crabmeat, picked over for shells
1 small red onion, peeled and finely minced
1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, cut in fine dice
4 cups fresh Silver Queen (or other sweetcorn) corn kernels
3 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves
¼ tsp Old Bay or seafood seasoning
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Combine oil, vinegar, garlic, lime juice, and whisk thoroughly.

Place crab, red onion, red pepper, corn, and cilantro together in a bowl and toss gently, taking care not to break up the lumps of crab. Pour the lime dressing over top and gently toss again.

Season with Old Bay, salt, and pepper to taste. Cover and chill for at least one hour before serving.

• Chesapeake Chargrilled Oysters - Serves 8

Ingredients:
· 36 oysters, freshly shucked (on the half shell)
· 1 stick salted butter
· 7 cloves fresh garlic, minced
· 1 tsp. crushed red pepper
· 1 Tbsp. thyme
· 1 Tbsp. oregano
· 2 oz white wine
· 8 oz. Romano or Parmesan cheese, grated
· 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
· Fresh parsley for garnish

Directions:
In a saucepan, melt the butter and bring to a simmer. Add the garlic, red pepper, thyme, oregano & wine. Simmer for 2 minutes.

Roasting/Grilling Oysters

Pre-heat oven or grill to 350°. Once at 350°, place freshly shucked oyster on the half shell on the center of the oven/grill. Once the water around the oyster begins to bubble and the oyster begins to rise, ladle 1 tablespoon of the butter garlic sauce on top of each oyster. Top with a dusting of cheese and allow the cheese to melt. Finish with a squirt of fresh lemon juice & a garnish of fresh parsley.

• Single-Fried Oysters with Horseradish and Tartar Sauce

Ingredients:
1 pint shucked oysters
1 cup fine yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp salt 1 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
1 tsp black pepper Vegetable oil, for frying
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:
Drain the oysters, reserving the liquor, if desired (see Note). Combine the cornmeal and flour, salt, Old Bay, and pepper. Dust the oysters in the flour/cornmeal mixture, one at a time. Set aside the oysters for several minutes to dry.

Pour oil into a frying pan to a depth of 1/2 inch. Heat the oil and sauté the oysters for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Do not overcrowd the skillet. Add more oil as needed.

Remove the oysters with a slotted utensil to paper towels and drain well. Season with salt and pepper.

Note: Oyster liquor may be added to dishes for heightened flavor

Email us at [email protected], tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.

Journalist and best-selling author Erik Larson joined Midday in May to discuss his most recent book. The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War is a granular look at the five months between the election of Abraham Lincoln in November 1860 and the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter in April 1861.

For Larson, this period is consequential for the subsequent conflict and for the nation's trajectory. The book concludes where the war begins; The bombardment of the Union fort in South Carolina.

6 of Larson’s previous 8 books have become New York Times best-sellers, and his subject matter ranges widely. In The Devil in the White City, he wrote about the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair and was a finalist for the National Book Award.

(This interview originally aired on May 28, 2024)

Email us at [email protected], tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.

After several weeks of a careful pressure campaign by top Democrat party figures, including former President Barack Obama and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, President Joe Biden announced he would stand aside and allow another Democrat to lead the ticket.

Democratic members of Congress, past and present, had voiced concerns over Biden's ability to beat Republican challenger and former President Donald Trump in the 2024 elections, just months away.

Leaders in Maryland's Democratic party announced their support for Biden's decision, and many endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as their pick for the party's presidential nominee. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said Biden is one of the most accomplished presidents of his lifetime, and called Harris the right pick going forward.

"Black women have saved this country time and time again," Scott wrote on X. "For that reason and a hundred others, there is no other — or better — option than the Vice President to unite our party and win in November."

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott joins Midday, as does Democratic State Sen. Jim Rosapepe.

John King, of the San Francisco Chronicle joins the show to talk about Harris and her political career in California and beyond.

And New York Times national politics reporter Adam Nagourney joins Midday to discuss the latest news. With Biden stepping down, what happens next?

Email us at [email protected], tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.

The Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, came to a close last night with a speech from the party's nominee for President. Donald Trump accepted his party's nomination, thanked his family and delivered a wide-ranging address similar to those heard at his campaign rallies.

Lisa Desjardins, a correspondent with PBS News Hour joins Midday to discuss the convention and what the platform and messaging the Republicans have staked their claim to in a pivotal election year.

Email us at [email protected], tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.

On the Midday Newswrap today, we are joined by Rachel Baye, WYPR reporter and editor. She covered the nearly $150 million dollar budget cut announced by Gov. Wes Moore last week and approved by the Board of Estimates on Wednesday.

Moore, the chair of the three-member Board of Public Works that approved the cuts for the current year's budget, said the changes are designed to prioritize health care and child care spending.

“We know that when Marylanders have access to health care and also access to preventative care, and when families have access to affordable childcare, they are more likely to participate in our labor force and participate in our economy,” Moore said. “And the key is we've got to have an economy where more people can participate.”

Email us at [email protected], tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.

A new show on Apple TV is set, and was filmed in, Baltimore. Based on author Laura Lippman's 2019 novel, 'Lady and the Lake' is a noir thriller following a pair of women whose lives intersect as they are forced to pay a price for their dreams.

Maddie Schwartz, played by Natalie Portman, is a Jewish housewife seek a new life as an investigative journalist. Meanwhile Cleo Johnson, played by Moses Ingram, is a mother in Black Baltimore navigating its political paradigms.

Email us at [email protected], tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.

Today, a conversation with Baltimore County Police Chief Robert McCullough.

McCullough is a longtime veteran of the force, having served in several senior leadership roles, including Bureau Chief of Criminal Investigations and Eastern Patrol Division Commander before being named Police Chief last year.

Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski cited those decades of experience when McCullough’s nomination was announced in April 2023. How has the police chief's first year gone? And as crime falls dramatically in the county, what's his plan going forward?

Email us at [email protected], tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.

Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Midday to share another weekly review of a local theatrical production.

We discuss 'The Scottsboto Boys,' on stage at ArtsCentric through July 21. The production is based off the history of a group of young African-American men who were wrongly accused and convicted during the Great Depression.

(Photo from ArtsCentric)

Email us at [email protected], tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.

Back in 2019, the Maryland General Assembly created the Prescription Drug Affordability Board. Their goal? Lowering the cost of drugs for Maryland residents.

The board faced several barriers in the past couple years, including a veto from former Gov. Larry Hogan. But in 2023, Gov. Wes Moore signed legislation reaffirming the board’s cost-reduction tools. And this year, the board is reviewing six drugs for potential cost-reduction efforts.

So, what is next? Dr. Gerard Anderson is a member of the PDAB and director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Hospital Finance and Management. He is also a professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Anderson joins us to talk about the work of the board and the tools at their disposal.

Email us at [email protected], tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.

Baltimore was one of the hottest cities in the nation last week. Extreme weather is becoming more common as human-driven changes to the planet's climate continue.

Joey Henderson of the Baltimore City Department of Emergency Management on how the city handles the heat and hurricanes, and how you can be best prepared.

(Photo by Kylie Cooper, The Baltimore Banner)

Email us at [email protected], tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.