Name: Frogmore Stew
Yield: Serves 8–10
Ingredients: 12 to 14 cups water, fish stock, or seafood stock; 4 bay leaves; ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning; 1 cup chopped celery; 1 cup chopped onions; ½ cup whole peeled garlic cloves; 3 whole bird’s-eye chiles; 1 pound small red potatoes, scrubbed, or 6 purple yams, cut into 2-inch chunks; 1 pound smoked hot sausage links or chicken sage sausage, cut into 2-inch pieces; 6 ears corn, shucked and quartered; 2 pounds shell-on large shrimp; 2 pounds shelled scallops; 1 cup dry white wine; Salt and pepper; Coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

A topdown view of a stew pot filled with headon shrimp cut corn cobs potatoes and more

Photo by Beatriz Da Costa, Food Styling by Roscoe Betsill

The first time I had this dish, I made it. I remember creating this dish for my third restaurant, Shoebox Café. The idea of it for me was the embodiment of a chowder-style Southern fish stew. I wanted a hearty dish that screamed “Southern” with a sophisticated twist.

Recipe information

Yield
Serves 8–10

Ingredients

12 to 14 cups water, fish stock, or seafood stock

4 bay leaves

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped onions

½ cup whole peeled garlic cloves

3 whole bird’s-eye chiles

1 pound small red potatoes, scrubbed, or 6 purple yams, cut into 2-inch chunks

1 pound smoked hot sausage links or chicken sage sausage, cut into 2-inch pieces

6 ears corn, shucked and quartered

2 pounds shell-on large shrimp

2 pounds shelled scallops

1 cup dry white wine

Salt and pepper

Coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Preparation

Step 1
In a large stockpot, combine 12 cups of the water or stock, the bay leaves, Old Bay, celery, onions, garlic, and chiles and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes and cook until tender, about 15 minutes.
Step 2
Add the sausage and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Add the corn and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in the shrimp, scallops, and wine and cook until the shrimp are cooked through, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and pour the stew into a large serving bowl. For more casual gatherings, serve directly from the pot on the stove. Garnish each serving with cilantro and serve immediately.

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From Meals, Music, and Muses: Recipes from My African American Kitchen © 2020 by Alexander Smalls. Reprinted with permission from Flatiron Books, a division of Macmillan. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.