Category: Southern Cooking

* No frogs were harmed in the making of this stew. *

1 ½ gallons water
juice of 1 lemon
salt to taste
3 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning
2 pounds kielbasa, cut into ½ inch slices
10 to 12 ears of corn on the cob
4 pounds of shrimp in the shell
4 pounds stone crab (these are usually pre-cooked)
onions and  new or red potatoes

Cook onions and potatoes until softened. In a large stock pot over medium high heat, add the water, lemon, salt and Old Bay Seasoning. Bring it to a boil.

Add the sausage and gently boil, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Add corn on the cob broken into 3 inch pieces and continue cooking an additional five minutes. Add shrimp and stone crab and cook an additional three minutes longer. This is just enough time to cook the shrimp and heat up the pre-cooked stone crab. Remove from heat, drain immediately and serve.

8 to 10 quarts water At least ½ cup Old Bay Seasoning
16 small red potatoes about 1 inch in diameter, not peeled
8 ounces kielbasa, sliced into ½-inch-thick rounds
2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
3 ears fresh corn, shucked and cut into thirds
16-24 fresh shrimp, preferably with head on, you may want more
2 pounds of Crawfish or 8-10 Stone Crab claws or even Snow Crab

Optional: Clams, Mussels, other seafood.

Fill a large stockpot two-thirds of the way with water and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, add the Old Bay, and simmer for 5 minutes until the water is well seasoned.

Add the potatoes, kielbasa, and onions and adjust the heat to maintain simmer; cook until the potatoes are about fork tender. Add the corn and simmer until the kernels are slightly softened, about 3-5 minutes. Add the shrimp and crawfish or crab and cook until the shrimp becomes pink, and both the shrimp and crawfish or crab are lightly fragrant, 5 to 6 minutes. Strain the solids from the cooking liquid and transfer them to an oversize platter or paper-lined table.  Eat and enjoy.

Garnishes: Butter for the potatoes and corn, drawn butter, cocktail sauce, lemon wedges, hot sauce.

This is an easy technique for butter poaching several types of seafood.  With the example of the scallops in this recipe it illustrates the technique.  Can just as easily be used to make butter-poached shrimp, lobster tails, etc.  Butter-poaching is a nice addition when you make shrimp & grits.  Make sure you use some of the poaching butter in the grits to impart the subtle shrimp flavor.

12 Scallops

1 ½ (Approximately) Cups Of Unsalted Butter

Sea Salt

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Arrange scallops in a saucepan just large enough for all the scallops to fit snuggly in one layer. Add water to just cover scallops. Pour water into measuring cup and pat scallops dry with paper towels.  Season scallops well with salt and pepper.

Melt an equal amount of butter to the water in measuring cup.  Melt butter in saucepan at 185 degrees, do not overheat.  Add scallops, turning once, until they are cooked 2-4 minutes.  If necessary test a scallop by cutting in half; it should be opaque in the center.

Transfer scallops to warmed serving plates.  Drizzle scallops with a little butter.  Serve immediately.

3 pounds rock salt
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
4 bay leaves
10 sprigs fresh thyme
1 head garlic, cloves smashed and skin removed
1 jalapeño, sliced, with seeds
2 lemon wedges
2 pounds large head-on shrimp

Mississippi Comeback Sauce for dipping

Preheat the oven to 475˚F.

Combine the rock salt, coriander, peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme, garlic, jalapeño, and lemon wedges in a large bowl  and mix well.

Pour half of the salt-spice mixture into a large, oven-safe baking dish and place it in the oven to preheat for 10 to 12 minutes, until the salt becomes hot. Remove from the oven, lay the shrimp in the salt, and add the remaining salt to cover the shrimp.

Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 8 to 12 minutes, until the shrimp are just cooked through. Using tongs, remove the shrimp from the salt and transfer to a plate. Serve with a bowl of Comeback Sauce for dipping.