Low Country Cuisine

Low country cuisine is the cooking traditionally associated with the Georgia and South Carolina Lowcountry. While it shares features with Southern cooking, its geography, economics, demographics, and culture pushed its culinary identity in a different direction from regions above the fall line. With its rich diversity of seafood from the coastal estuaries, its concentration of wealth in Charleston and Savannah, and a vibrant Caribbean cuisine and African cuisine influence, Low country cooking has strong parallels with New Orleans and Cajun cuisines. But neither Charleston nor Savannah developed the enduring grand restaurant legacy that New Orleans did. And so they lacked a major resource that had helped define and promote Creole cuisine to the rest of the world.

Charleston She-Crab Soup

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter
3 tablespoons minced onion
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups half-and-half
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Dash of Old Bay seasoning
1 pound lump crabmeat
2 hard-cooked eggs, finely chopped
3 tablespoons crab roe (optional)
Sherry (optional)
Garnishes: chopped hard-cooked egg, freshly ground pepper, and fresh parsley sprigs

Preparation

Melt butter in a Dutch oven over low heat; add onion and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly 5 minutes or until tender.

Whisk in flour until mixture is smooth. Cook 1 minute, whisking constantly. Gradually whisk in half-and-half; cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Stir in salt and next 6 ingredients. Add roe, if desired, and sherry to taste. Garnish, if desired



Frogmore Stew features two main ingredients, fresh shrimp and newly shucked yellow corn, but most anything that is good boiled, such as crabs, redskin potatoes, and even crawfish can be added. Two keys to making a successful Frogmore Stew are:

1. Stagger the addition of the ingredients
2. Don't overcook the shrimp!


Frogmore Stew (Low Country Shrimp Boil)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons crab boil seasoning per gallon water (or more to taste)
several lemons, halved (optional)
redskin potatoes (depending on size, 3 or more per person)
spicy smoked sausage, cut into 1-inch slices (1/4 pound per person)
fresh corn, broken into halves or thirds (1 1/2 ears per person)
shrimp (1/2 pound per person)
butter, melted
cocktail sauce
sour cream
ketchup

Preparation

Fill a large steamer pot halfway with water. Add crab-boil seasoning (or more to taste). Several halved lemons may be added as well.

When the seasoned water comes to a boil, add redskin potatoes and boil for 20 minutes; then add one-inch slices of spicy smoked sausage and boil for 5-10 minutes. Add the corn) and boil another 5 minutes. (Begin timing immediately. Do not wait for it to boil again). Then add the shrimp. Cook for 3 minutes, drain, and pile on a table.

Serve with lots of paper towels and icy beverages, plus melted butter for the corn, cocktail sauce for the shrimp, and sour cream or ketchup for the potatoes.



I've seen it spelled purloo, perlo, pilau, perloo, pelau, pilaf and perlau.
The word comes from the Turkish pilaw, from the Persian pilaw, and from the Osmanli pilav, "rice porridge." Pronunciation is just as varied, as in PER-lo, PEELaf, or per-LO. According to Bill Neal, Charlestonians, no matter how they spell it, all pronounce it PER-low.

English writers spoke of the dish in the seventeenth century, and by the eighteenth century it had taken hold in Britain, especially after the empire spread through the Middle East and into India. In America, the Southern rice crops and the influence of the spice trade made the dish popular. Pilau has been a popular dish in many Southern states for 300 years, particularly South Carolina, Florida, and Louisiana.



Chicken-Sausage-Shrimp Perlau

Ingredients

4 large chicken breasts, split
4 cups water
1 small onion, sliced
1/2 bay leaf
1/2 carrot, sliced
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped celery
1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 cups raw, long-grain rice
3 tomatoes, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon sweet basil
Salt and pepper
1/2 pound smoked sausage, cooked and sliced
1 lb shelled and deveined shrimp

Preparation

Cover chicken with 4 cups water; add small onion, bay leaf, carrot and marjoram and simmer covered until chicken is tender.

Strain broth and reserve. Skin, bone and cut up chicken meat. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat; add celery, onion and green pepper. Cook 1 minute, stirring.

Add rice, stirring constantly to prevent burning, and cook until vegetables are tender. Turn off heat, stir in tomatoes and herbs, and season to taste. Pour into a large casserole dish; top with sausage and raw shrimp.

Arrange chicken on top. If needed, add water to reserved chicken broth to make 4 cups and pour over dish.

Cover and bake in a 350-degree oven for 25 minutes or until rice is tender and all liquid absorbed. Lightly stir with a fork to release steam before serving. Serves 8.




Spicy Shrimp and Grits

Servings: 4
Time: 30 min

Ingredients:

cheese grits:
6 cup water/chicken stock
2 cup stone ground grits/polenta
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1/4 cup mild cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp. salt

Directions:

Grits:

1. In a large pot, add the water/stock and the salt. Bring the water to a boil.
2. Turn down the heat to medium or medium low. Add the grits and whisky regularly. Cook for 5-10 min. You are look for a creamy consistency.
3. Turn down the heat to a simmer. Add the cheese and whisk until integrated. Cover until ready to serve.

Spicy Shrimp:

1 lbs. shrimp
3 carrots (chopped)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
2 ribs celery (chopped)
1 shallot (diced)
1 jalapeño (sliced)
1 cup beer (light/wheat) or white wine
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. fresh cilantro (finely chopped)
juice of 1 lime
salt
pepper

spice mix:

1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 tsp. red pepper flake
1 tsp. salt

Directions:

1. In a medium-sized pot over high heat, add the olive oil. Once the olive oil is hot enough to shimmer (about 30 seconds), add the carrots, celery, shallots, and jalapeño. After about 3 min, turn down the heat to medium and add the garlic. Cook for another 2-3 min while stirring regularly.
2. Add the spice mix, and cook for another 2-3 min. You are trying to toast the spices. Be careful not to let them burn. By the end of this period, the shallot should be nearly transparent and the other vegetables should be soft.
3. Add the beer or wine. Turn up the heat to bring to a boil.
(NOTE: I’ve made shrimp with both beer and wine. My recommendation is that you choose a beer that is light in color and flavor. My preferences are towards a wheat beer like a hefeweizen or a pilsner—something light and refreshing. As for wine, my preference is towards a chardonnay on the dry side. Experiment or use what you have on hand. I also suspect if you don’t use alcohol, a chicken stock will serve the purpose of the dish as well.)
4. Add the cilantro, lime juice and shrimp. Stir until the shrimp are integrated. The shrimp should already begin to turn pink. Turn down the heat to medium low, cover the pot with a lid and let cook for 5 min or until the shrimp are done.
(NOTE: I peel my shrimp before cooking. I like this being a one bowl dish, and I can take care of the mess of the shells before cooking. However, I can see an argument that leaving the shells on the shells will likely protect the meat better and leave it more tender. I think this is a choice you can make.)
5. Turn off the heat. Serve the shrimp, including the liquid, over the cheese grits. Salt and pepper
to taste. Enjoy!

Country Captain is a chicken curry dish traditionally popular in the Southeastern United States, particularly in the Lowcountry region around Charleston, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia. In its basic version, it is a mild stew made with browned chicken pieces, onions, and curry powder. Golden raisins and almonds are usually added. Many versions also call for tomatoes, garlic, and bell peppers. The dish is served over white rice.

Country Captain may have originated in India as a simple poultry or game recipe involving onions and curry and possibly enjoyed by British officers. One theory is that an early 19th-century British sea captain working in the spice trade introduced it to the American South via the port of Savannah.

Country Captain (Low Country Chicken Curry)

Ingredients

One 3 1/2 lb chicken cut into 8 pieces or 6 whole skinless boneless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Fresh ground black pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 slices bacon
2 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery, leaves and all
2 cups diced green bell pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
2 cups drained and chopped canned tomatoes
3/4 cup tomato juice, reserved from canned tomatoes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons curry mix (recipe to follow)or use ready made curry powder (I like mine spicy and hot so I like Sun Brand Madras Curry Powder. It has a high cayenne pepper content but if you like a milder curry flavor use a more generic brand like McCormick's)
1/3 cup currants (or raisins if you can’t find currants)
2 bay leaves
salt to taste

Preparation

Sprinkle the chicken with salt & pepper along with the dried thyme.
Heat the oil in a large fry pan and and cook turning once till lightly browned.
Remove the chicken and set aside.
Pour out the oil from the pan.
Return the pan to the stove and over a moderately low heat, cook the bacon slices till crisp and browned. Remove the bacon and set aside as a condiment for the Country Captain.
Add the chopped onion to the pan, and cook, stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes.
Add the chopped celery along with the bell pepper and cook for about 5 minutes longer.
Stir in the garlic, and cook another 2-3 minutes or so, then add the tomatoes and reserved juice.
Cook at a low heat, partially covered and simmer for about 10 minutes-stir often.
Heat the unsalted butter in a small pan until hot and foamy, then stir in the curry powder mix and cook, stirring continuously for 2 minutes. It will turn into a rich deep golden color. Do not let it burn.
Add the cooked curry powder, along with the currants or raisins and bay leaves to the simmering tomato mixture.
Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Simmer, tightly covered for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
When the sauce has finished cooking, taste carefully for seasoning, and more salt and pepper if needed.
Spoon about 1 cup of the sauce into the bottom of an ovenproof casserole or baking dish that will hold the chicken comfortably in a single layer- the chicken can touch if need be.
Arrange the chicken over the sauce, then spoon the remaining sauce on top of the chicken.
Place a piece of parchment on top pressing down gently.
Cover with lid or a double piece of foil, sealing tightly.
Bake in a 325 degree oven and cook for approximately 1 1/2 hours, until the chicken is quite tender.
Serve the chicken with the sauce spooned over it and serve some good Carolina rice on the side.

Along with the chicken and rice, offer at least four different condiments to go with it. Crumbled bacon, thinly sliced green onion, Crispy Thin Onion Rings, currants or raisins, toasted coconut, finely chopped white of hard-boiled egg and the sieved yolk of same, chutney and chopped peanuts.

Making Your Own Curry Powder

1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or less if desired

Mix all the ingredients together, and store in a small, tightly sealed jar. Make in small batches to keep it fresh and more vibrant.


Not Your Mama's Banana Pudding

Ingredients

2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies
6 to 8 bananas, sliced
2 cups milk
1 (5-ounce) box instant French vanilla pudding
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping thawed, or equal amount sweetened whipped cream

Directions

Line the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top.

In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a handheld electric mixer. Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth. Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended. Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Low Country Bars

Ahhh, these... these cookies... these simple, sugary bits of goodness are like crack. They should actually be called Crack Cookies. Because once you taste them you know you are headed towards an all day sugar headache.

Filling:
1 14.4 ounce box of Graham Crackers *You wont use whole box
¾ cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup coconut
1 cup pecan pieces
½ cup milk
1 egg

Topping:
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
3 tablespoons milk



First, line the bottom of a 13x9 inch baking dish with graham crackers (I usually use 7 whole graham crackers for both the top and bottom.

Crush one cup worth of graham crackers into crumbs and place in a bowl, add pecans and coconut to bowl and set aside.

Measure your ½ cup of milk into a bowl and crack egg into the bowl and gently mix together; set aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and add sugar. Stirring constantly (so as not to scramble the egg) add the milk and egg mixture to the pan and bring all to a bowl while you stir constantly. This takes about 10 minutes, because you want to start out a lowish heat and then work your way up (again, so as not to scramble the egg… you could also temper the egg mixture before you add it in, if you like, but I usually don’t).

Once boiling, take off the heat and add the pecans, graham crackers and coconut. Stir to mix well, then pour over the graham crackers in the pan and spread evenly. Top with another layer of graham crackers.

Prepare your icing: Combine all icing ingredients and stir well. You want it to be thick but spreadable. Add extra milk if you need to thin it out. Pour on top and smooth over the whole pan. Chill and cut and serve.

They taste great both chilled and at room temperature, but for storing you need to keep them in the fridge.