Low-Country Cuisine - Recipe

Ebony, Sept, 2001 by Charlotte Lyons

It is referred to as low-country cuisine (or "cuisine of the water") because of the abundance of seafood and small fish caught off the coast of Carolina and Georgia and used to create a variety of appetizing dishes. This culinary style also relies on other local products such as rice, grits, cornmeal and okra. Thanks to the African and Caribbean influences of the Gullah (a group of descendents of former slaves who live on the barrier island), we're able to enjoy such delicacies as Hopping John, Limpini Susan and Hush Puppies.

Try some of the following recipes for a flavorful, memorable experience. But remember, some of the dishes included in low-country cuisine are heavy on the calories. So eat sensibly and enjoy.

LOW-COUNTRY BOIL

1/2 gallon water
1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning
6 to 8 cloves garlic, cut in halves
3 bay leaves
  Cayenne to taste
  Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 pounds Kielbasa or smoked
  sausage, sliced into 1-inch
  pieces
12 small new potatoes
4 carrots cut into fourths
4 ears of corn, cut into thirds
12 small white onions
3 pounds shrimp in shells
1 lemon sliced
Chopped parsley

Bring water to a boil in a large stockpot, and add the seasonings to the water. Add Kielbasa, potatoes, and carrots. Bring to a boil and boil uncovered until vegetables are almost tender, about 5 minutes Add corn and onion and boil 5 minutes longer. Add shrimp and lemon slices, and simmer until shrimp are done, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove lemon slices. Garnish with parsley if desired.

Yields 6 servings

CALORIES 883.8, TOTAL FAT 39.5G, CHOLESTEROL 426MG, FIBER 9.5G, PROTEIN 69.9G, SODIUM 2,550MG

LOBSTER SAVANNAH

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 medium green pepper,
  chopped
1/2 medium red bell pepper,
  chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups Half-and-Half
  Salt to taste
1/3 cup dry sherry
  Dash hot pepper sauce
4 lobster tails, cooked and cut
  into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Melt butter in large skillet on medium heat. Cook and stir green pepper, red bell pepper, onion and mushrooms until vegetables are tender. Add flour and continue to cook and to stir a few minutes. Heat cream until warm. Gradually add cream to vegetable mixture, stirring constantly until smooth. Season the sauce with salt. Add sherry, hot pepper sauce and lobster to sauce and heat through. Spoon lobster mixture into lobster shells and sprinkle with cheese. Place filled lobster tails in glass baking dish and broil for a few minutes, until cheese melts and lightly browns. Garnish with parsley.

Yields 4 servings

CALORIES 747.5, TOTAL FAT 44.2G, CHOLESTEROL 390MG, FIBER 1.5G, PROTEIN 63.1G, SODIUM 1,349MG

STEWED OKRA AND TOMATOES

1/2 cup diced salt pork
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper,
  chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chopped, fresh
  thyme
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 pound fresh okra
4 tomatoes, chopped
  Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon sugar
  Hot pepper sauce to taste
1 cup water

Heat 1 cup water to boiling, add salt pork and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove salt pork from the pan and discard water. Cook and stir salt pork over medium heat until brown and crisp. Remove salt pork and set aside. Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of drippings. Add the onion, green pepper, garlic, thyme and crushed red pepper. Cook and stir vegetables over medium heat until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the okra and continue to cook 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add reserved salt pork, tomatoes, salt, pepper, sugar, hot pepper sauce and water. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Yields 6 servings

CALORIES 200.1, TOTAL FAT 16.2G, CHOLESTEROL 17MG, FIBER 3.0G, PROTEIN 3.3G, SODIUM 385MG

HUSH PUPPIES

1 cup white or yellow cornmeal
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2/3 cup milk
1 egg, well-beaten
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
  Vegetable oil

Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and garlic powder in medium bowl. Stir in milk, egg and onion until well-blended. Drop rounded teaspoonful into deep hot oil (375 degrees). Fry until golden-brown, about 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot.

Yields 6 servings

CALORIES 495.4, TOTAL FAT 38.5G, CHOLESTEROL 34MG, FIBER 1.8G, PROTEIN 5.4G, SODIUM 645MG

LIMPINI SUSAN

1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup long-grain rice
1 pound okra, cut into 1/2-inch-thick
  rounds
2 cups chicken broth
  Salt And Pepper
  Cayenne
1 pound medium shrimp

Cook and stir green pepper and onion in oil over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook and stir for about 2 minutes. Add the rice, and stir the rice mixture until coated with oil. Cook and stir until rice is opaque, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add okra, chicken broth, salt, pepper and cayenne. Bring rice mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed, about 20 minutes. Adjust seasoning. Stir in shrimp and cook until shrimp are done and turn pink, 5 to 8 minutes.