Nov. 24, 2010 - Issue #788 : Wool On Wolves
Provenance
The history of Frogmore Stew
From the Deep South to the frozen north
According to legend, a North Carolina shrimper in the town of Frogmore was running low on food at home. So he boiled up some potatoes he had, along with fresh corn and shrimp, since there was never a short supply of shrimp.
He also had a single sausage left, which he added to the mix. He soon realized how great the items complemented each other and, from that point, started experimenting with spices and southern side dishes. The basic recipe was passed around to local seafood restaurants.
Cajun spicing is considered the original flavour enhancer, although others say pepper is the only true additive. However, everyone acknowledges that true Frogmore Stew must be cooked with bay leaves, and some say it was originally cooked in beer.
Frogmore Stew became a family tradition in many homes and can still be found at many restaurants across the Deep South. It is associated with large gatherings of friends and family, festive occasions and lots of dancing.
It is also the basis for many modern-day stews and stir-fries of various names. The big difference is the addition of other vegetables and the elimination of the potatoes, since most stir-fries are served over rice or noodles.
By the way, shrimp used to be considered a staple for poor people since they were so plentiful, and since shrimp are essentially bottom-feeders. But as shrimp cuisine evolved, Frogmore Stew enjoyed resurgence in popularity and is still common on restaurant menus. V
RECIPE
CRANBERRY RELISH
An appropriate southern side dish for most stews, and a great alternative to cranberry sauce with turkey is Cranberry Relish, created by a lady known only as “Georgia Peach.”
1 orange
2 cups of raw cranberries
1/2 a lemon
1 apple
3/4 cup of sugar
The zested peel from 3/4 of the orange
Remove seeds from the fruit and put all ingredients (except for the sugar) in a food blender. Blend at low speed for several seconds, add the sugar then turn on the blender at a slightly higher speed until relish texture is reached. V
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