FROGMORE STEW

adapted from The Coastal Living Cookbook
5 qt. water (more or less, depending on your cooking pot)
3 cans of beer (not light!)
1/2 c. Old Bay seasoning
4 lbs. small red potatoes
1 large or 2 medium onions, peeled
4 lbs. kielbasa or other smoked sausage
6 ears fresh corn on the cob
4 lbs. unpeeled, large fresh (or thawed) shrimp
cocktail sauce
melted butter
lemon wedges

Wash and cut potatoes into bite-size chunks (halves or quarters). Cut the onions into chunks. Cut the smoked sausage into 1 to 2-inch chunks. Shuck the corn and cut into 2-in. pieces.

Bring the water, beer, and Old Bay seasoning to rolling boil in a large covered stockpot. When the water has reached a boil, add the potatoes and onion; return to a boil and cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Next, add the sausage and corn, and return to a boil. Cook 10 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.

Add shrimp to stockpot; cook 3 to 4 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Do not over cook the shrimp. Drain the water from the pot. Pour the Frogmore Stew onto the center of tables covered with lots of newspaper and eat with your hands. Serve with cocktail sauce, melted butter, lemon wedges and a few loaves of crusty bread. I like to put the cocktail sauce and melted butter in restaurant-style plastic ketchup and mustard bottles, which make it easy to tell which is which and easy to squirt right where you want it. Serves 10-12.

SOUTHERN SHRIMP & GRITS

quick-cooking grits

3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Tabasco sauce

nutmeg, freshly grated

ground white pepper

1 pound fresh shrimp, peeled, rinsed and dried

6 slices good, thick bacon, diced

peanut oil

2 cups sliced mushrooms

1 cup green onions, finely sliced

1 large clove garlic, minced

4 teaspoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

salt and pepper

Prepare the grits according to the package directions for 4-6 servings. While grits are still hot, add in the cheese, a dash or two of Tabasco, and a little grated nutmeg.  Cover and keep grits warm while preparing the shrimp.  Sauté the bacon until it is just brown, but not crisp.  Add enough peanut oil to cover the bottom of the pan about 1/8-inch deep.  Heat the oil and add the shrimp in a single layer.  Turn the shrimp as they begin to color; add the mushrooms and sauté about 4 minutes, turning often to cook all the shrimp evenly.  Add the green onions and the garlic, stirring to blend the flavors with the shrimp. To finish seasoning, add the lemon juice, a dash of Tabasco, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Place the grits on four plates for a main course or six plates as an appetizer; spoon the shrimp over them.  Serve immediately.

SWEET CORN BREAD

1 9-ounce box of cornbread mix (Jiffy)

1 9-ounce box yellow cake mix (or divide larger mix)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a bowl, prepare the corn muffin mix following directions on the box. In another bowl, make the cake mix following directions on the box. Combine the 2 mixes and mix well to blend. Pour batter into a 9-by-12-inch pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cut into squares and serve with Honey Butter.  This is like the sweet cake-like corn bread served at Marie Callendar’s in California.

HONEY BUTTER

1 cup softened butter or margarine

1/2 cup honey

Blend honey into softened butter.  Serve at room temperature with Sweet Corn Bread.

CENTENARY YEAST ROLLS

2 packages dry yeast

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter

3/4 cup milk

3/4 cup water

1 egg, beaten

6 cups (2 pounds) flour

1 teaspoon salt

melted butter

Heat milk and water to a temperature  of 110 degrees.  In a small bowl, combine milk and water with yeast and a small amount of the sugar; let sit for about 10 minutes, until bubbly.  Stir in butter, beaten egg and salt.  Add flour to liquid mixture, one cup at a time, and stir until all is incorporated and dough is pulled away from the sides of the bowl.  Knead dough and place in bowl, covered with plastic wrap or a cloth and let rise in a warm, draft free place until doubled in size.  Punch down dough and knead again.  Shape rolls into the size of golf balls and place on greased baking sheet about 1-inch apart.  Cover with a cloth and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.  Brush with melted butter and bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until browned on top.

CAROLINA CRAB CAKES

1 pound fresh crabmeat

8 crackers, finely crushed

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 large egg, slightly beaten

1 tablespoon red pepper, minced

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced

1 tablespoon fresh chives, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

dash of hot pepper sauce

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

Mix all ingredients lightly, except butter and olive oil, until blended.  Shape into patties.  I place a spoon of crab mixture in the center of a piece of plastic wrap and bring the corners together and twist the crab mixture into a ball.  Then I gently flatten the ball, inside the plastic wrap, into a patty.  Remove from plastic wrap and place the crab cake on a plate or tray lined with wax paper; repeat until all the crab mixture is used. Cover and refrigerate for an hour.  Melt the butter and oil in a large frying pan.  Sauté the crab cakes until golden brown on one side – about 3-4 minutes – turn and continue to sauté another 3 minutes.  Don’t crowd the crab cakes or they will not cook properly.  Remove and drain on paper towels, repeating until all crab cakes are cooked.  Serve with lemon wedges or your choice of sauces.  Makes 6 main course or 12 appetizer crab cakes.