Savannah Classic Seafood: Recipes from Favorite Restaurants

By Janice Shay and Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn

“This mouthwatering collection is stuffed with satisfying Southern dishes that will keep any seafood lover coming back.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
 
From the sky, Savannah and the surrounding Low Country resemble an intricate silvery spiderweb of creeks, rivers, marshes, and streams that feed into the Atlantic Ocean. Twice daily, seven-foot tides sweep the intracoastal waterways, nourishing abundant oyster beds. It is a rich marine environment that yields a variety of fresh seafood, and Savannahians have been delighting in their coastal cuisine since the area was first settled in 1733.
 
In this delightful roundup of the city’s classic seafood dishes, gathered from restaurants throughout Savannah, author Janice Shay has divided the featured recipes into the “major food groups”—crab, oysters, fish, and shrimp, with a nod to a few popular “carpetbagger” scallop recipes. From a hearty serving of Tubby’s Boiled Shrimp to the complex flavors of Mrs. Wilkes’ Seafood Casserole, Shay presents recipes the city’s chefs have refined to perfection. They will delight any cook with their simplicity and freshness. Those unfamiliar with Savannah food will be surprised at the soups, stews, and chowders that define their culinary traditions as well as the constant competition among restaurants as to who serves the best crab cake. Dive in and enjoy food that the whole family will love!
 
“This book’s a good catch, y’all. My fear is that, after this book hits the shelves, everyone will be buying so much seafood, there won’t be enough left for me.” —Martha Giddens Nesbit, coauthor of Paula Deen Celebrates!
 
“A mouthwatering adventure into the best restaurants the city has to offer.” —Library Journal

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Jan 21, 2010
• ISBN: 9781455600588

Book preview

CRAB

Don’t ever try to tell a native Savannahian that crab cakes taste better in another part of the country. I’ve heard that Maryland’s version of this delightful dish is excellent, but you’d have a hard time proving it. You see, Savannah blue crab meat is the basic ingredient for the perfect crab cake, and we’ll never be convinced otherwise, so how in the world could the crabcakes in Maryland taste any better? You’ll need to taste a Savannah blue crab for yourself and decide if this is just convoluted Southern logic, or if we are really onto something.

I’d never seen a crab trap when I moved to Savannah two decades ago. Now, I look for them at every dockside restaurant and marina that I visit. The colorful wire boxes are a promise that you’re about to dine on something incredibly fresh and tasty. Because blue crab meat is so versatile and abundant, it has inspired a savory slew of traditional dishes, including soups, stews, au gratin, and deviled crabs.

[graphic]

Crystal Beer Parlor

Crab Stew

[graphic]

SERVES 8

2 tablespoons salted butter

8 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup yellow onion, minced

1 quart whole milk

1 quart heavy cream

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon Tabasco Sauce

2 tablespoons lemon juice

11/2 pounds picked crab meat, backfin or

  claw

1/2 cup dry sherry (optional)

Melt butter over medium heat in a large pot. Add minced onion and cook, stirring occasionally until onions are translucent. Add flour and cook, stirring until flour is blended in well. Add milk and heavy cream gradually, stirring constantly until smooth. Add seasonings and stir until well blended. Just before serving, add lemon juice and crabmeat (and sherry, if using). Stir until heated through, garnish with lemon wedge and a sprig of parsley, and serve.

Russos's Seafood

Deviled Crabs

[graphic]

SERVES 8

2 pounds claw crabmeat

1⁄2 cup onions, finely chopped

1⁄4 cup bell pepper, finely chopped

1⁄4 cup celery, finely