The Gullah people have a rich Sea Island heritage and are a large part of the Lowcountry culture. The Gullah are descendants of enslaved Africans. Many still have a very thick vernacular, also called Gullah. The resilient Gullah have been able to preserve much of their African heritage. Their customs and traditions are strong on the Sea Islands and their influence is celebrated with art, literature, and festivals. Beaufort residents and visitors are also fans of Gullah cuisine. Many dishes are one pot meals. Most include rice. Who doesn’t love fresh vegetables, hoe cakes, gumbo, or perlo? (Reprinted from Celebrate Beaufort by Debbi Covington. Photography by Susan DeLoach.)
Lowcountry Chicken Bog with Collard Greens
This one pot comfort food is sure to become a family favorite! There’s some debate in the south about whether it should be called a perlo or a bog. In the end, chicken perlo and chicken bog are pretty much the same thing. I like to use Conecuh hot sausage.
1 (4½ to 5 pound) whole frying chicken, cut up
1 pound Cajun smoked sausage, sliced
1 cup diced sweet onion
4 cups firmly packed chopped fresh collard greens
4 cups chicken stock, reserved from cooked chicken
1¾ cups long grain white rice
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
10 to 12 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
Place chicken in a large Dutch oven; discard giblets. Add just enough water to cover chicken and bring to a boil. Cover with lid, turn heat down and simmer for 55 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and easily falls from the bone. Remove chicken from pot and set aside to cool. When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove meat from the bones and set aside. Discard skin and bones. Pour chicken stock through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl, discard bits of bone and skin. Reserve 4 cups of chicken stock. Freeze remaining stock for future use. Add sausage and onion to Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat until sausage is browned, and onion is tender. Do not add oil or butter; the sausage will release enough fat for sauteing. Add chicken back to the pot. Stir in collard greens, reserved chicken stock, rice, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to simmer, and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest for 15 minutes. Top with crumbled bacon before serving. Serves 6 to 8.
Fried Okra Salad
Rinkie Bradberry taught me how to fry okra. Her method is fail-proof. If you prefer, purchase frozen breaded okra, and follow the directions on the back of the package.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup white vinegar
1 medium yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
3 green onions, chopped
½ cup chopped red onion
2 large tomatoes, chopped
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 pounds fresh okra
2 cups yellow cornmeal
Vegetable oil, for frying
Salt and pepper, to taste
In a small bowl, whisk vegetable oil with sugar and vinegar until sugar is dissolved; set aside. Place bell pepper, green onions, red onion, tomatoes, and bacon in a large bowl. Don’t wash okra until you’re ready to fry it. Cut okra into bite-sized pieces. Rinse in a colander; drain well. Roll okra in cornmeal; shake off excess. Fry okra in hot vegetable oil until crispy and golden brown. Drain on paper towels, season with salt and pepper. Add hot fried okra to bowl with vegetables and bacon. Dress with reserved vinaigrette; toss gently to combine. Serve immediately. Serves 8 to 10.
Daufuskie Crab Pie
Seasoning blend is available in the frozen food section of your local grocery store. It contains onions, celery, green peppers, red peppers, and parsley. It’s one of my favorite shortcuts.
2 (9-inch) deep dish frozen pie crusts
4 eggs
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup whole milk
1 (5-ounce) package shredded swiss cheese
1 (8-ounce) package shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
1/3 bag frozen seasoning blend, thawed and drained (about ¼ heaping cup)
Dry sherry
1 pound lump crab meat
Thaw pie crusts in refrigerator. Par-bake thawed crusts according to package directions. In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs with flour, mayonnaise, milk, cheeses, Old Bay seasoning, seasoning blend, and sherry. Mix well to combine. Gently fold in crab meat. Pour into par-baked pie shells. Sprinkle with additional Old Bay seasoning, if desired. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 40 to 50 minutes or until centers are set. Serves 12.
The writer owns Catering by Debbi Covington and is the author of three cookbooks, Celebrate Beaufort, Celebrate Everything! and Dining Under the Carolina Moon. Debbi’s website address is www.cateringbydebbicovington.com. She may be reached at 843-525-0350 or by email at debbicovington@gmail.com.
