Coastal Carolina Cooking by Nancy Davis;Kathy Hart

Author:Nancy Davis;Kathy Hart
Language: eng
Format: mobi
ISBN: 9780807841525
Publisher: IB Dave's Library
Published: 1986-05-01T07:00:00+00:00

Page 91

Glennie Willis:

Atlantic

Glennie Willis's family goes way back. She proudly proclaims that they were some of the original "Downeasters." And of course being a Downeaster means she has a natural affinity for stews, pastry, cornmeal dumplings, and seafood.

In the kitchen, Glennie uses her hands and fingers to dip up flour and scoop out shortening. So when she first tells you the ingredients for her recipes, she says a handful of this, a dip of that, a pinch of this, or a nickit of that. But if she thinks about it a few minutes, Glennie can translate into the more conventional quarts, cups, and tablespoons.

Glennie has a particular fondness for wild meat—game and waterfowl. Back when wild game was plentiful, she would rather have served up venison stew or wild duck than pork or chicken.

Coming from a long line of watermen and boatbuilders, Glennie knows her seafood. She says that fish caught in the early spring and fall are tastier than fish caught at other times of the year. And she claims that there is no better eating fish caught anywhere than in the inlet at Hatteras. Fish taken from moving waters are always better, she says.

And why not eat oysters during "nonR" months (May, June, July, and August)? "They spawn during those months," Glennie says, which makes the bivalves watery and not as flavorful.

Fried Scallops

Glennie flours her scallops by placing them, with flour and seasonings, in a paper bag and shaking the bag vigorously. She believes this method provides a more thorough and even coating.

1/2 cup shortening

1 large egg

1 pound bay scallops

paper bag

3/4 cup plain flour

Page 92

SCALLOPS

Three types of scallops are harvested along the East Coast, but only two—the calico and bay—are native to North Carolina waters. The larger Atlantic deepsea scallop is harvested in New England. The most abundant Tar Heel scallop, the bay, is harvested, as its name indicates, from estuarine waters. The calico is an offshore scallop that periodically and somewhat mysteriously appears in a large bed off Carteret County. Both the calico and the bay are proclaimed by many to be sweeter and more tender than their northern cousins.

Unlike the clam and oyster, all of the scallop's soft body is not eaten. Only the adductor muscle is food for the table.

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Melt shortening in a skillet over medium high heat. In a mixing bowl, break an egg over scallops and mix thoroughly. In a paper bag, combine flour, salt, and pepper.

Add scallops to bag. Shake vigorously. Drop the scallops, one by one, into hot shortening. Cook until golden brown on all sides. Serves 4.

Stewed Oysters

In the old days, Glennie says, when oysters were plentiful, people in Atlantic made their oyster stew out of oysters, butter, and, of course, a topping of cornmeal dumplings. But today oysters are not so abundant, and Glennie says many folks stretch the oysters by adding water or milk. But she never adds milk. And she says you must be careful not to overcook the oysters or they will become tough.

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