We celebrated the 4th with a star spangled lowcountry boil. Once called Frogmore Stew, this one-pot wonder was created by a National Guardsman when he needed to cook a meal for 100 soldiers. This seafood dish is a combination of shrimp, sausage, corn, and potatoes, is easy to create for a crowd. No serve wear or utensils necessary, lowcountry boil is best served on a newspaper-covered table and eaten with your hands. Serve it with a variety of dipping and spicing condiments and all the Southern hospitality you can muster.
Lowcountry Boil
4 pounds small red potatoes
5 quarts water
1 (3-ounce) bag of crab boil seasoning
4 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
2 pounds kielbasa or hot smoked link sausage, cut into 1½-inch pieces
6 ears of corn, halved
4 pounds large fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined optional
Cocktail sauce
Add potatoes to large pot, then add 5 quarts water and seasonings. Cover pot and heat to a rolling boil; cook 5 minutes. Add sausage and corn, and return to a boil. Cook 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Add shrimp to stockpot; cook 3 to 4 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Drain and dump the boil out on a table covered in newspapers for a fun mess of a meal.
Serve with cocktail sauce. Soft butter and olive oil, sea salt, Tabasco, and lemon wedges and are also sometimes served as accompaniments. Serves 12.