4 servings
The fresh masa ground each day to make tortillas at Sean Brock's Minero restaurant is also used to make the creamy, satisfying base of this reinvented low-country dish. He calls it a "liquid tortilla."
The vegetables for the sofrito and the shrimp can be grilled in a pan on an outdoor grill as well. The grits set up quickly, so make them just before serving.
MAKE AHEAD: The sofrito can be made and refrigerated up to 5 days in advance; you'll have plenty left over here. Reheat over low heat before serving.
Freshly ground masa nixtamal is available in 5-pound bags at Moctec Mexican Products in Landover, Md. (301-386-9090).
The masa can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Adapted from Brock, chef-owner of Minero in Charleston, S.C.
Ingredients
For the sofrito
1 large yellow onion, cut into large dice
1 fresh poblano chili pepper
1 small carrot, scrubbed well and cut into large dice
2 or 3 small tomatillos (husks removed), cut into thick slices
2 large tomatoes
1/2 medium red bell pepper
2 cloves garlic
1 dried pasilla negra chili pepper
1 tablespoon aji amarillo powder (may substitute 2 teaspoons ground dried New Mexico chilies)
For the grits
3 cups whole milk
12 ounces freshly ground masa nixtamal (see headnote)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, at room temperature
Kosher salt
For the shrimp
1 tablespoon canola oil
20 large (21-25 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
Kosher salt
Hot sauce, preferably Valentina brand
1 cup fresh chorizo (casings removed), cooked, drained and crumbled
For assembly
1 cup thinly sliced scallions, white and green parts
1 cup crumbled cotija cheese
1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
Lime wedges, for serving
Steps
For the sofrito: Grease a grill pan with cooking oil spray; heat over high heat. Working in batches as needed, add the onion, poblano, carrot, tomatillos (to taste), tomatoes, red bell pepper half and the garlic; cook until all the components have a nice char, stirring them as needed.
Meanwhile, toast the pasilla pepper in a small, dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant and somewhat darkened and puffed. Transfer to a bowl; cover with warm water and rehydrate for 10 to 20 minutes, then drain, stem and mince.
Place the charred poblano and red bell pepper half in a plastic bag to help the skins steam and loosen. Cut the charred tomatoes into chunks. Peel the skin from the charred poblano and red bell peppers and discard it, along with the seeds.
Transfer the peppers and tomatoes to a food processor along with the minced pasilla and the charred onion, carrot, tomatillos and garlic. Add the powdered aji amarillo and process until fairly smooth. Pour into a large, nonreactive saucepan; cook over medium heat for 30 minutes, stirring constantly. The yield is about 3 cups. Keep warm if using right away; otherwise, cool, cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
For the grits: Heat the milk in a medium saucepan over high heat. Just before it comes to a boil, crumble the masa nixtamal into the milk; reduce the heat to low and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes, stirring constantly until creamy. Stir in the butter and season lightly with salt. Keep warm over the lowest possible setting.
For the shrimp: Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.
Toss the oil and shrimp in a bowl until evenly coated; season lightly with salt and a drizzle of hot sauce. Spread on the grill pan and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, turning as needed, until just cooked through and lightly charred in spots. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
When ready to assemble, add the chorizo and 1 cup of the sofrito to the shrimp; toss to incorporate.
Divide the grits among individual bowls. Top with equal portions of the shrimp-chorizo mixture, the scallions, cheese and cilantro. Serve with a lime wedge.
Ingredients are too variable for a meaningful analysis.
Diver Scallop Hush Puppies With Chowchow Tartar Sauce
7 or 8 servings (makes 35 to 40 pieces)
"If you're a seafood restaurant in the South, you're obligated to have a good hush puppy," says chef Mike Lata of the Ordinary. His deep-fried snack relies on local Geechie grits (we're using cornmeal in this recipe) and whatever seafood (scallops, shrimp) is available.
Freshly made batter delivers the best crackle. You'll need an instant-read thermometer for monitoring the oil.
MAKE AHEAD: Vegetables for the chowchow need to be salted overnight. The tartar sauce can be made 2 days in advance. The hush puppy batter needs to rest for 30 minutes.
We found Duke's mayonnaise at Harris Teeter stores.
Adapted from Lata, chef-owner of the Ordinary in Charleston, S.C.
Ingredients
For the chowchow tartar sauce
1 1/2 pounds ripe fresh tomatoes, cut into chunks
1 medium onion, diced
1 rib celery, diced
1 small green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into small dice
2 tablespoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons powdered mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons yellow mustard seed
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 cup Duke's regular or low-fat mayonnaise (see headnote)
Fresh lemon juice
For the hush puppies
2 1/2 cups cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning
3 large eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups regular or low-fat buttermilk
1 cup chopped scallions (white and green parts)
1 pound diver (sea) scallops, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Canola oil, for frying
Steps
For the chowchow tartar sauce: Combine the tomatoes, onion, celery and green bell pepper in a nonreactive mixing bowl. Season with the 2 tablespoons of salt, tossing to coat. Let the vegetables sit overnight at room temperature.
Rinse and drain; transfer the vegetables to a large saucepan along with the sugar, vinegar, powdered mustard, mustard seed, celery seed, crushed red pepper flakes and the coriander, stirring to incorporate. Cook for about 30 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are quite soft. Remove from the heat; let cool. The yield is about 2 3/4 cups.
Drain and reserve the liquid from the cooked chowchow. Transfer 1 cup of the chowchow vegetables to a food processor along with the mayonnaise. Pulse briefly until well combined, adding a little of the reserved chowchow liquid to achieve the desired consistency.
Transfer to a serving bowl; taste, and add salt and lemon juice as needed. The yield is about 1 3/4 cups. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
For the hush puppies: Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda and Old Bay Seasoning in a mixing bowl. Add the eggs, buttermilk and scallions, stirring until almost all the lumps have disappeared.
Fold in the scallops. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes; the batter will thicken.
Pour oil to a depth of 3 to 4 inches in a deep pot; heat over medium-high heat to a temperature of 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with paper towels, then place a wire cooling rack on top.
Working in batches of 4 or 5 at a time, drop tablespoonfuls of the batter into the hot oil. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes, turning them as needed for even browning. Use a slotted spoon or skimmer to transfer the hush puppies to the rack to drain.
Serve warm, with the chowchow tartar sauce.
Ingredients are too variable for a meaningful analysis.
Frogmore Chowder
8 servings (makes about 9 1/2 cups)
This elegant take on the classic low-country sausage-and-shrimp stew contains a generous amount of cream, turning it into a rich chowder.
Serve with oyster crackers.
MAKE AHEAD: The chowder can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat over low heat until warmed through.
From the Obstinate Daughter in Sullivan's Island, S.C.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for optional drizzling
1 large white onion, cut into small dice (2 cups)
2 cups diced celery
2 cups fresh or frozen/defrosted corn
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1/2 cup flour
4 1/2 cups clam juice (bottled is fine, low-sodium if you can find it)
2 cups heavy cream
Kosher salt
2 cups quartered fingerling potatoes (11 to 12 ounces total)
3 to 4 links cooked kielbasa sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices (about 1 pound total)
1 pound (21-25 count) raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
Chopped chives, for serving
Steps
Combine the oil, onion, celery, corn and thyme in a large pot over medium heat, stirring to coat. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes translucent.
Add the wine; increase the heat to medium-high. Once the wine comes to a boil, cook for 7 or 8 minutes or until it has reduced by half.
Whisk in the flour; once it's evenly blended (to form a kind of roux), reduce the heat to low. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring a few times. Gradually stir in the clam juice and the cream; increase the heat to medium just long enough for the mixture to come to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and cook for about 9 minutes, until just tender. Drain and add to the large pot along with the kielbasa (to taste). Cook until the sausage has warmed through, then add the shrimp; cook for 3 to 5 minutes, just until opaque and pink, then remove from the heat.
Divide among individual bowls; garnish each portion with the chives and a drizzle of the oil, if desired. Serve hot.
Nutrition | Per serving: 530 calories, 25 g protein, 25 g carbohydrates, 35 g fat, 18 g saturated fat, 225 mg cholesterol, 850 mg sodium, 3 g dietary fiber, 6 g sugar
