Cape Fear Succotash with BBQ Mashed Potatoes
Well, by now in the season there ought to be a few new fishing stories to share with each other. I also love this time of year in North Carolina, not just for our great fishing, but we’re also the backdrop for one of the country’s best shrimping fleets.
These guys spend endless hours of not just shrimping, but repairing gear and maintenance. I tend to appreciate their catch with great pride. It’s American seafood at its finest. So with our local shimpers as my motivation for this issue, here is an easy recipe to enjoy these “bugs” as they are called.
You will need (for 2 servings):
1 large sauté pan
1 pot for mashed potatoes
2 Idaho potatoes
2 ears sweet or white corn
1 white onion
1 large carrot
2/3 cup lima beans
1 stick real butter
3 slices bacon (optional)
1 small sprig fresh rosemary (chopped)
1 small sprig fresh thyme (chopped)
1 pound shrimp (peeled)
1/3 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce
salt & pepper
2 teaspoons of Old Bay
To get started, get your water boiling for the potatoes. Then add the peeled potatoes to the boiling water (if you go ahead and cut the potatoes into pieces they will cook faster).
Now once the potatoes are going well, it’s time to heat the large sauté pan.
Cut your bacon into small pieces add the pieces to the pan. Then chop all of the onions and carrots. Add them to the pan and continue to cook.
Next cut the corn off of both cobs, and add the corn to the pan and let cook approximately three minutes.
Now add your shrimp and seasoning and cook for an additional three minutes. The shrimp should turn pink, and remember to stir everything as you cook.
Now that the shrimp are pink, add 1/2 stick of butter, along with the chopped up fresh herbs.
For my mashed potatoes, I like to add the other 1/2 stick of butter, salt & pepper, and some of your favorite BBQ sauce. Mash everything together, and the potatoes should be done.
Finish by serving the shrimp and potatoes on a dinner plate with garlic bread.
Eat fish twice a week!
Chef Danny H.
Danny Hieronymus was born and raised in Wrightsville Beach into a commercial fishing family and has been catching fish throughout NC all his life. He has also been cooking with his mother since he was 8 years old in the family restaurant. He can be reached at capefearcookin@yahoo.com.
