Welcome to a southern, summer supper! Low Country Boil is one of those one pot wonder meals that is perfect for a quiet dinner for two on the deck at dusk, with fireflies flickering like mobile candles; it's also the easiest meal ever for entertaining a crowd. When prepared for lots of people, it is best done outdoors over a burner, in a gigantic pot, and then spilled out on newspaper covered tables for a relief from fine dining.
Low Country Boil originates from South Carolina. It also answers to the title of "Frogmore Stew". According to Costal Living, this colorful dish was created by a National Guardsman, Richard Gay, who needed to cook a meal for 100 soldiers. He had learned how to make it from his family, who lived in the town of "Frogmore". The guards teased Richard about the meal, and thus the name. When the postal service eliminated the name Frogmore, this dish became known as Low Country Boil.
There are many versions of this easy meal. Some add crabs or quartered onions or more seasoning. I like the addition of lemon for added freshness. You can adapt the proportions of the ingredients to your own personal taste as well: I want sweet corn to be the star of my show, but you can certainly add more sausage and shrimp for your favorite meatlover. Many years ago, when our dear friends, AJ and Amy, were coming over for a summer dinner of Frogmore Stew, their young son, Evan, needed reassurance that there were no frogs in the dish!
Low Country Boil
1 lb. fully cooked sausage like Kielbasa, cut diagonally into 1 inch pieces
2 lb. large shrimp (either peeled or unpeeled works fine)
2 lb. small red potatoes (or use a fancy, colorful mix for more curb appeal)
4-5 ears of fresh sweet corn, husked and cut into thirds
1-2 lemons, sliced
1/4 c. Old Bay Seasoning (or any shrimp boil seasoning mix) plus extra to sprinkle on when serving
Put a gallon of water in a large pot on the stove over high heat and bring to a boil. While this is heating, prep all the ingredients. When the water is boiling, stir in the Old Bay Seasoning. Add the potatoes and lemon slices; cook covered on medium-high heat for 10 minutes. Add the pieces of corn and sausage. Cover and cook another 10 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes. Keep watching the whole time, because the shrimp quickly go from succulent to rubbery and overdone; as soon as they lose their transparency (you know, they clam up. Sorry, I couldn't help myself!), they are done. Turn off the heat and immediately spoon the mixture out onto a platter, using a slotted spoon or strainer. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper and coarse sea salt and a scattering of fresh italian parsley. Serve with cocktail sauce, hot sauce, Old Bay Seasoning for additional flavor, and butter. This amount is about right for four people. You can easily double or triple this recipe. The only limiting factor is the size of your largest pot!
Dinner is served! Please cue the fireflies.
