In the first book for my Memphis Barbeque mystery series, restaurant owner Lulu Taylor is a barbeque-cooking queen who keeps a loving but protective eye on her family.
What meal would Lulu pick for an easy family get-together? Well, probably not barbeque, since the family eats the mouth-watering ribs at Aunt Pat’s restaurant every day. No, but she’d probably pick something just as Southern and just as tasty. Maybe Lowcountry boil.
Lowcountry boil first originated in South Carolina’s coastal regions, where it was called ‘Frogmore Stew,’ after the town of Frogmore, SC, (which no longer exists.)
The recipe can be easily adjusted to feed a crowd. In the South, it’s frequently served on newspapers laid out on picnic tables for easy clean-up. Just fold up the newspaper and voila! You’re done. For added authenticity, put a roll of paper towels on the table instead of napkins.
This recipe takes about 10 minutes to fix, about 30 minutes to cook. It makes 12 servings, so be sure to adjust as needed for the crowd you need to feed.
Lowcountry Boil
- 5 quarts water
- 1/4 cup Old Bay seasoning
- 4 pounds red potatoes (small ones)
- 2 pounds kielbasa (or any smoked sausage links….as hot to taste as you prefer) cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
- 6 ears fresh corn, broken in half
- 4 pounds unpeeled, fresh shrimp (I like the large ones)
- Cocktail sauce
Bring water and Old Bay seasoning to a rolling boil in a large pot, covered.
Add potatoes and return to a boil. Cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Add sausage and corn, and return to a boil. Cook 10 more minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Add shrimp to stockpot; cook 3 to 4 minutes (sometimes less) until shrimp turn pink. Drain. Serve with cocktail sauce.
Riley Adams/Elizabeth Spann Craig
http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com
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