Authentic Geechie Girl’s Crab Recipe

 

The very attractive Terri Burns aka Authentic Geechie Girl runs the blog  Geechie101, where she gives folks who are interested a chance to read how a Gullah person speaks, in order to learn the basics of the language. She also runs a YouTube channel, where you can hear a real Gullah person speak it is a fun and entertaining resource.  So check her out, you’ll love her.

Authentic Geechie Girls Crab Recipe, in her own words:

So I had da get me sum crab tadey. Wha all y’all put een da wata da seasun da crab? I put salt, fresh garluck, cayenne peppa, unyun, mustard, soy saws, winega, Chuchs peppas, kosha dill pickull, olive oil, crab seasunin, hot chili saws, haw saws & uf I feel like gwine ta da corna sto I ga get a Bull o 211 Steel Reserb. Den I ga fux a spicy garluck butta da dup um een! Wha een ya wata? Geechie101AGG

All ingredient should be used to taste.

• Crabs
• Garlic
• Dill pickle
• Mustard
• Onion
• Olive Oil
• Crab/Seafood seasoning
• Hot Chili sauce
• Hot Sauce
• Beer (steel reserve preferably.)

Saute the onions and garlic in pot with olive oil until onions are soft. Add rest of the ingredient except for the crab and bring to a boil. When the mixture starts to boil add crabs, cook for a few minutes until crabs are done. 

Serve with Hot garlic butter

Hot garlic butter recipe:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
• 1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 1 large garlic clove, crushed
• salt

In a small saucepan, melt butter. Add remaining ingredients; heat for 1 minute. 

Gullah Styled Fried Shrimp Sandwhich

courtesy of  Sally Robinson

Servings: Makes 2 sandwiches

From Sallie’s “Cooking the Gullah Way: Morning, Noon, & Night.” (with my family seasonings added)

1 dozen large or jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon Thyme

1 teaspoon Black pepper

1 heaping teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

1 1/2 cups vegetable or canola oil

1 medium onion, sliced crosswise into 1/2 -inch rings

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons mayonnaise

1 teaspoon mustard

4 slices good-quality French or country white bread

4 pieces lettuce

4 slices tomato

1. Rinse and drain the shrimp. Place them in a medium bowl with the salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika. Toss to coat with the seasoning and then set aside, covered, in the refrigerator until ready to use.

2. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion slices and fry gently until the onion is soft, about 20 minutes, then remove from the oil and discard the onions (they’re for flavoring the oil). Leave the oil in the skillet over very low heat.

3. In a medium bowl, beat the egg and milk together.

4. Heat the oil so a thermometer inserted reads 350 degrees. Remove the shrimp from the refrigerator and place them, a few at a time, in the egg wash to coat. Remove theshrimp one at a time from the wash and place them in the flour, coating each well. Shake off the excess flour before carefully placing the shrimp in the hot oil. Fry the shrimpuntil golden on each side, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Remove the fried shrimp and place them on a paper towel to drain the excess oil.

5. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and mustard. Spread the mayonnaise mixture evenly over one side of the bread slices, then divide the lettuce evenly between two of the four slices. Divide the tomato slices evenly over the lettuce, then top with the shrimp. Place the remaining slices over the shrimp and serve.

Sweet Potato Pone

 

This isn’t a family recipe, I took this off the internet sometime ago and for the life of me cannot recall the source. While we know the sweet potato is a New World crop I do not know where sweet potato pone originated. I’d guess it was created by Black slaves, as it exists everywhere the transatlantic slave trade touched. Unfortunately, it is not as popular in America as it once was, but still quite common is Jamaica and other West  Indian nations. Most people eat pone as a desert but I find it is also a great side with dinner particularly around the holidays.
Try the recipe out , comment and let me know how it came out.

• 2-1/2 pounds of mashed sweet potatoes
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/2 cup milk or evaporated milk
• 2 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup cane syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest

Preheat oven to 375°F.Roast sweet potatoes until tender. Let cool. Peel and mash the potatoes, then stir in melted butter.In a bowl, beat the eggs, add sugar and beat thoroughly. Add milk, vanilla, molasses, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and orange zest. Beat until well blended. Stir into mashed sweet potatoes, then mix until well blended.Place the mixture into a buttered 1-1/2 quart baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 50 minutes. Let cool before serving.