Southern Cuisine | Alaskan Harvest Seafood Blog

Shrimp and Oyster Perloo

Perloo (or, as it’s often spelled, pilau) is a specialty of the Carolinas: a hearty, one-pot rice dish descended from Middle Eastern pilafs and chock-full of a rich variety of meats and vegetables. This variation showcases shrimp and oysters, along with the kick of chilies and the smoky flavor of ham and kielbasa. This multicultural dish is great for potlucks or family dinners - delicious, filing, and easy to prepare.

You will need:

2 T olive oil
1/2 lb. country ham, finely chopped
1/2 lb. kielbasa, cut on the diagonal into quarter-inch thick slices
2 medium onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded, and minced
2 T chopped flat leaf parsley
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
3 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and chopped
1 c long grain rice
3/4 c chicken broth
25 medium oysters, shucked, with 1/2 c of the liquor reserved
35 large shrimp, peeled
5 scallions, chopped (for garnish)

1. Heat the olive oil over medium in a very large soup pot. Add ham and kielbasa and cook until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add the onions, peppers, jalapenos, parsley, thyme, and cayenne, then season with salt and pepper. Cook until soft - around 10 minutes.

2. Add the tomatoes and garlic and cook until a sauce starts to form - about another 10 minutes. Stir in the rice, chicken broth, and oyster liquor, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer, covered, until the rice is almost cooked - around 20 minutes.

3. Gently stir in the shrimp and oysters. Cover and continue to cook until the shrimp are bright pink and the edges of the oysters have curled - about 10 minutes. Be careful not to overcook. Season with salt and serve garnished with the chopped scallions.

Serves 6 - (from Saveur, Jan/Feb 2009).

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Southern-style Fried Catfish

Filed under: Seafood Recipes — Tags: catfish, catfish fillets, crispy catfish, fried fish, southern cuisine, southern food —

This is an easy way to create the kind of crunchy, juicy fillets that you can find in catfish houses throughout the South. I soak my catfish in buttermilk for an hour before frying - it clears out that occasionally “muddy” flavor that freshwater fish can acquire, and adds a tang to the crispy crust.

You will need:

2 c yellow cornmeal
1 c white flour
1/4 c seasoned salt - use a proprietary blend, or make your own using salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cajun seasoning
2 T baking powder
4 catfish fillets
1 lemon
canola oil
a cast iron skillet

1. Heat a couple inches of oil in a cast iron skillet. Test for heat by dropping in a bead of water - it should sputter and scatter across the surface of the oil. If you have a deep-fry thermometer, heat the oil until it reads 350 degrees.

2. Mix the first four ingredients together in a large bowl. Dredge the catfish fillets in the cornmeal mixture, and then shake gently to remove excess coating. Make sure the fillets are completely covered, as it will form a crust once it cooks.

3. Fry the fillets two at a time in the skillet, turning once (carefully, with a spatula) - about 8 minutes. Remove from oil and drain on a wire rack above a drain pan or newspapers. Repeat with the second two fillets.

4. Serve hot with lemon wedges and tartar sauce, or with a spicy mixture of ketchup and horseradish on the side.

I like these with spicy black eyed pea and rice hash and steamed lemon-garlic collard greens. Corn muffins make a great side - try them with cream cheese and jalapeno jelly.