Monday, September 5, 2011

TWO CRAB PARTIES AND LOIS SEAGRAVES’ LOW-COUNTRY STEW

027

Guy, Tom and Mark sponsored the third annual crab party at Brizes’ house, and Terry, the next-door neighbor, made these fantastic T-shirts for all of us.  Guy was the crab chef, and guests brought side dishes.  The weather decided to be ugly, and after the tables were set, it poured.  No matter, the party got moved to the garage where we all chowed down on some of the best blue claws we’ve ever had, meaty, sweet and delicious.
019
There I am in blue and white, Mary’s in green, and Rita is watching us chow down on blue claws.
022
Here are Guy and Mike.  Mike is wearing his new T-shirt.  He’s a neighbor of Brizes also.  (Guy and Mike are both Cleveland Browns fans.  Mike is from Ohio; Guy is from New Jersey.)
025

Enjoying a break from the rain:  Rita, Tom and Jim.
026

So here's what happened next:  Chandler, Terry’s hub, asked Guy if he would help out the following weekend as he hosted his crew before their next mission to Afghanistan, September 9.  Any time Guy can be near crabs, the answer is always yes.  He went back to his Oriental, NC, source to get more of those great crabs, and he gleefully helped Chandler get ready for the party.  I just showed up, and had the best time meeting Chandler’s wonderful crew and their spouses.  But this time, we didn’t have the normal steamed crabs.  Instead, Chandler introduced us to his grandmother’s recipe for Low-Country Stew.   (According to Wikipedia, Low-Country Stew falls into the general category of seafood boils, and each region of the country has its own version; i.e., New England Clam Bake, South Carolina Frogmore Stew, Louisiana Crawfish boil.)


Here is Chandler as he put the last layer into the stew pot.
047

As you can see, you need a 40-quart pot, preferably one that keeps the ingredients off the bottom, so the liquids don’t make them soggy. 

Lois Seagraves’ Low-Country Stew

INGREDIENTS:  1 cup vinegar
1 gallon water
3 oz. bottle hot sauce
1/2 handful of salt
1/4 handful of black pepper
4 large onions, cut into eighths
8 medium red potatoes, halved, or 16 smaller red potatoes
1 package Hilshire Farms Smoked Sausage, cut into chunks
6 ears of fresh corn, shucked, cut into 3 sections each
12 blue claw crabs, backs removed, cleaned
2 lbs. jumbo fresh shrimp in shells

Combine vinegar, water, hot sauce, salt, pepper, onions and potatoes in bottom of large (40-quart) pot with steaming basket that sits above the liquids.  Bring to a boil over high heat; cook 5 minutes.  Add sausage and corn, return to boil.  Add crabs; return to boil; cover about 7 minutes, or till crabs are almost cooked.  Add shrimp, cook another 3-4 minutes, or till shrimp are done.  Lift basket from pot and pour basket contents on paper-lined table.  Everyone digs in. 
Serves 8 - 12, depending on appetite
048

049

4 comments:

Maria_NJ said...

Hi just found your blog...I grew up in Madison, NJ, went down to work in the casino in AC in 1979 and still working there, I've been at the Borgata since opening ...this is my 32 year working in the gaming industry and I want to retire bad, I have 6 more years and then the husband and I are going to Virginia somewhere along the Chesapeake...our family has been crabbing a lot lately, they are yummy aren't they, but I have to say...LOOK AT THE SIZE IF THOSE CRABS!!! I bought my first commercial crab pot and someday would like to hang it out in my back yard on my own little creek...that stew looks great...Maria

Judy said...

Hi Maria, My hubby's nephew is a barber in AC, and my sister-in-law owns two homes in Margate. When we lived in NJ, we spent considerable time in Margate and AC. Boy has it changed over the years. Retirement in NC might be cheaper for you. Check out our fair city of New Bern. Start at my New Bern blog: http://bearcupboard.blogspot.com. Good luck on your retirement and I hope you catch plenty of blue claws.

crab lover said...

An now I'm so jealous, looks like you have a crab party there. :)

blue crab addict said...

Ohh crab! My favorite seafood dish! Sucking their tentacles is my favorite part because of the juicy and rich taste bring to me.