Chef notes
Frogmore stew is a one-pot mix — a "boil" — of the low country's peak summer offerings. You don't need to do much more than find the best ingredients and make them sing.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Old Bay seasoning, plus more
- 16 small new potatoes, about 1-inch diameter, rinsed but not peeled (about 3/4 pound)
- 1/2 pound smoked sausage (kielbasa), cut into 1/2-inch thick coins
- 2 medium sweet onions, peeled but not trimmed, quartered lengthwise from stem to root
- 3 ears fresh corn, shucked and cut into thirds
- 16 largest available fresh shrimp, preferably white Carolina shrimp with head on (or more, depending on size of shrimp)
- 8 stone crab claws (about 2 pounds)
- 1/2 pound okra okra, washed
- Soft butter or olive oil
- Sea salt
- Hot sauce, preferably Tabasco
- Lemon wedges
- Cocktail sauce
Preparation
1.Bring a large stockpot (at least 12-quart) of water (filled 2/3 of the way, about 9 quarts) to a simmer. Add Old Bay and simmer to infuse (the water should be abundantly seasoned and aromatic). Add potatoes, sausage coins, and sweet onions, and bring to a lazy simmer until potatoes are fork tender, about 15-18 minutes.
2.Keeping water at a slow simmer, add corn, and cook until kernels are slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add shrimp and crab claws, and cook until the shrimp becomes pink and white (instead of opaque), about 5 minutes. Add okra and cook for 1 minute. Strain solids from cooking liquid, and transfer them to an oversize platter.
3.Serve with soft butter and olive oil (for potatoes and corn), sea salt, Tabasco, lemon wedges and cocktail sauce.
