Sea Inspired Cooking
Embrace the burgeoning jellyfish industry here and try this dish. It’s a traditional Chinese favorite for opening a banquet and gets a little extra kick form some chili sauce.
Sesame Jellyfish with Chili Sauce
Ingredients
1⁄2 lb. packaged jellyfish
2 tsp. soy sauce
3 Tbsp. sesame oil
2 tsp. rice vinegar
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. chili sauce
1 small green onion
3 Tbsp. sesame seeds
Directions:
Jellyfish are salted and dried for storage before being sold at market. So, unless purchased fresh, it is important to soak the jellyfish in clean water to remove the salt. Soak jellyfish in about 3 c. water and refrigerate for 6 hours. Drain and replace water after 2 hours and again after 4 hours. When ready for preparation, drain jellyfish and squeeze out as much water as possible. Slice into strips about 1/4 inch wide. In pot or wok heat enough water to submerge them. Bring water to boil and turn off heat. Let water cool for about two minutes. Put jellyfish noodles in a skimmer or strainer and submerge in hot water. Stir until completely blanched or about 30 seconds. Noodles will shrink and become thinner and shorter. Drain and let cool, refrigerating briefly if needed. Chop green onion into small pieces. Mix jellyfish, green onion, soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, sugar, and chili sauce together in a bowl or other container. Stir so that all jellyfish strips are coated with sauce. Cover and let sit for at least 30 minutes refrigerated. The longer it chills and marinates, the better. Serve chilled.
While Jekyll Island is home to the annual Shrimp & Grits Festival, it is a man from North Carolina who gave birth to the dish’s current popularity as more than a fisherman’s breakfast from South Carolina. Ironically, it was a New York Times article by food writer Craig Claiborne featuring Bill Neal’s recipe for the shrimp and grits on his menu at Crook’s Corner in Chapel Hill, NC (now a James Beard Award-winning restaurant) that put the iconic Southern dish on the map. Neal’s version uses white grits, cheddar and parmesan cheeses, and bacon but is still a simple—and very popular—classic recipe.
Crook’s Corner Shrimp and Grits
Makes 4 servings
2 c. water
1 can (14 ½ oz.) chicken broth
3/4 c. half and half
3/4 tsp. salt
1 c. stone ground grits
3/4 c. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 c. parmesan cheese, grated
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce
1/4 tsp. white pepper
3 slices bacon
1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 c. flour
1 c. sliced mushrooms
1/2 c. scallions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. chicken broth
1-2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice (to taste)
1/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce
lemon wedges
Directions:
Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil, in a medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in grits; reduce to simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, according to time on package. When grits are done, stir in cheddar cheese and next 4 ingredients, stirring until cheeses are melted. Cover and set aside, but keep warm.
While grits are cooking, fry bacon in a large skillet, until crisp. Set aside on paper towel and reserve 1 Tbsp. of drippings in skillet. Sprinkle shrimp with salt and pepper, dredge in flour, and set aside. In bacon drippings, sauté mushrooms about 5 minutes, or until tender. Add scallions and cook for 2 more minutes. Add shrimp and cook for 2 minutes, until shrimp begin to brown. Stir in chicken broth, lemon juice, garlic, and hot sauce, and continue to cook 2 more minutes, stirring to loosen brown bits from skillet. Divide grits into 4 large, shallow bowls, ladle shrimp mixture over grits, and top each with crumbled bacon. Serve with lemon wedges.
Salicornia, also known as glasswort, is another sustainable edible from the sea. Commonly referred to in cooking as sea beans, it’s a salty green that grows along the shoreline. It can be used as a garnish, in salads, or as a side dish, replacing asparagus or green beans.
Sea Beans and Mushrooms
Ingredients:
a few handfuls of sea beans (less than 1/4 of a pound)
1⁄2 cup sliced mushrooms
2 tsp. of water
1 tsp. butter
1⁄2 tsp. oil
1⁄2 tsp. chopped parsley
1 clove of garlic, chopped
Directions:
Heat a pan on medium high heat and add butter and oil. Thrown in mushrooms and cook until lightly brown on each side. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Toss in sea beans and water. Cover for about 2 minutes and then sauté until all water is evaporated. There is no real need for salt because the sea beans are quite salty.
