"I specifically chose sweet soy sauce, Thai basil and coconut milk to create an Asian flavor profile for this dish.” INGREDIENTS 2 cups water 2 cups Carolina Gold rice ½ cup coconut milk ½ tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon sugar 1 kaffir lime leaf 3 tablespoons oil 1 small carrot, diced 1 celery rib, diced ¾ cup black-eyed peas, cooked or canned ¼ cup honey baked ham 2 tablespoons sweet soy sauce 2 tablespoons Thai basil 1 cup jumbo lump blue crab meat 1 Combine water, rice, coconut milk, salt, sugar and kaffir lime leaf in saucepan and bring to boil. Cover, place in oven at 350 degrees for 19 minutes. Remove and set aside. Let cool and then fluff with a fork. 2 In a nonstick pan, mix oil, carrot, celery, black-eyed peas and ham over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add cooked rice and sauté until crispy. Add sweet soy sauce, Thai basil and crab meat and sauté for another 2 minutes. 3 Mix well and serve in a bowl. “ Chef Jason Tufts Malia’s Restaurant, Aiken INGREDIENTS 2 pounds shell-on Beaufort shrimp 2 pounds high-quality smoked sausage Frogmore Stew WHAT’S COOKIN’ Sometimes called a Lowcountry boil, Frogmore Stew—which originated in a St. Helena Island fishing community named Frogmore—is a one-pot dish of shrimp, corn on the cob, new potatoes and smoked sausage. This no-fuss, large-format meal is ideal for casual get-togethers in the outdoors. “You get sweet notes from the corn and smoky or umami notes from the sausage,” says Tufts. “The shrimp adds just a bit of brine and texture, and the potatoes act as the conductor of the orchestra, bringing them all together, absorbing their flavors and allowing them each to shine.” 2 pounds Dutch creamer potatoes, cut in half 8 ears sweet corn 1 large yellow onion, diced large 3 large cloves of garlic, peeled 1 ½ cups Old Bay seasoning 2 whole lemons 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 ½ gallons cold water 1 In a 375-degree oven, roast sausage until golden brown and cooked through (165 degrees if using a meat thermometer), 10–12 minutes. 2 While sausage is roasting, in a large stock pot, combine onion, garlic, Old Bay and water and bring to a boil. Boil until reduced, 20 minutes. 3 Reduce heat to simmer and add sausage, corn and potatoes. Allow to simmer until potatoes are fork tender, 10 minutes. 4 Cut lemons in half, squeeze in juice and add Worcestershire sauce. 5 Place shrimp into liquid and cook until shells are bright red and meat is firm, about 3–4 minutes. (Take care to not let shrimp curl too tightly—this means you have overcooked them.) Chef Raffaele Dall'Erta Hamptons, Sumter Crispy Crab Hoppin' John WHAT’S COOKIN’ A traditional Gullah dish comprised of black-eyed peas, ham and rice, Hoppin’ John is thought to bring good luck— with the peas representing coins—making it an especially popular meal in South Carolina on New Year’s Day. In this rendition, Chef Raffaele Dall’Erta adds an Asian twist for a new take on the savory classic. “The coconut milk gives it a sweet, smooth floral flavor and the Thai basil adds a fresh herb taste to the dish,” says Dall’Erta. LOCALLY SOURCED “I sourced some beautiful bicolor sweet corn from Watsonia Farms in Monetta and made my own sausage in the style of a Kielbasa-linguiça hybrid,” says Tufts of his recipe. LOCALLY SOURCED The tidal creeks and saltwater marshes of South Carolina’s Lowcountry are teeming with a world-renowned seafood delicacy: blue crabs, beloved for their sweet meat. If you don’t catch your own (extra points if you do), just “make sure you source good quality jumbo lump blue crab meat,” advises Dall’Erta. Also, be sure to use locally grown Carolina Gold rice for an unforgettable dish filled with local flavor. “The beauty of the dish lies in its simplicity. Every ingredient speaks for its own self, yet the flavors meld very well.” “ 12 DiscoverSouthCarolina.com
South Carolina Vacation Guide 2021 SC Vacation Guide: Page 12
