Emily Meggett’s recipe for Okra Gumbo comes from her book titled Gullah Geechee Home Cooking. You can use fresh or frozen okra and shrimp. She also puts a little sugar in the recipe and says it helps to cut the acid from the tomatoes. You can serve this gumbo by itself in a bowl or over a bed of brown or white rice. 

Pan-Fried Catfish from Marvin Woods’ book, The New Low-Country Cooking, calls for nice big catfish fillets and buttermilk, sherry and two kinds of vinegar, along with sundry other ingredients. Marvin Woods says, “Catfish today… most catfish are farm-raised, which means they are bred (and raised) in clear water and are fed wheat and corn pellets. This makes the fish a lot sweeter and more subtle in flavor. This fish can be eaten with just a squeeze of lemon.”  

Hush puppies are traditionally served with seafood. To go with your catfish, we have a recipe from Jane Bradley in Southern Style. I used to make hush puppies with minced onion and white water-ground cornmeal, and buttermilk, of course! I would not have put sugar in mine, though. They looked like thick, round pancakes about 2 inches or so in width, and they were delicious… not those little overly sweet, hard, dark brown marbles they call hush puppies that you get out in the seafood places today. FYI, back in the days before paper towels, my mother used newspapers to soak up the fat fromdeep-fried foods! 

Who can eat catfish without coleslaw on the side? Chef Dennis Littley from askchefdennis.comsays, “My homemade coleslaw is the perfect side dish for grilled and barbecued dishes. However, the crunchy texture of the creamy coleslaw makes it my favorite anytime salad.” Dennis got a score of 4.98 from 388 votes on his website. I’ll sure try his coleslaw recipe! 

EMILY MEGGETT’S OKRA GUMBO 
Recipe from Gullah Geechee Home Cooking 
By Emily Meggett 

INGREDIENTS: 
3/4 pound salt pork, cut into 1-inch pieces 
1 onion, chopped 
1 bell pepper, chopped 
1 28-ounce can crushed or diced tomatoes 
1 can tomato paste (fill the tomato paste can three times with water and add to gumbo) 
3 pounds okra, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, or 2 pounds frozen cut okra 
Crushed red pepper 
Gold Medal seasoning salt 
1 tablespoon sugar, plus more to taste 
Kernels cut from 2 ears fresh corn or 1 each 15-1/4-ounce can corn, drained 
1-1/2 pounds small shrimp, peeled and deveined (optional, but recommended) 

DIRECTIONS: 
1) In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, fry the salt pork over medium heat until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. 2) Add the onion and bell pepper and sauté together for 5 to 7 minutes, until translucent. 3) Add the tomatoes and tomato paste. 4) Refill the tomato paste can with water three times. Pour the water into the pot. 5) Bring to a boil over high heat. 6) Turn down the heat to medium and cook for 25 to 30 minutes. If the mixture is too thick, add more water. 7) Add the okra, crushed red pepper, seasoning salt to taste, and the sugar. 8) Cook for 15 to 20 minutes. 9) Finally, add the corn and shrimp. 10) Stir and cook the gumbo over low heat for about 10 more minutes. Serve with rice or eat plain. 

PAN-FRIED CATFISH  
The New Low-Country Cooking 
By Marvin Woods 

INGREDIENTS:  
Six 8- to 10-ounce catfish fillets (preferably farm-raised) 

SHERRIED BUTTERMILK MARINADE: 
3 cups buttermilk 
1/2 cup sherry 
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar plus 
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar 
2 tablespoons celery seeds 
1-1/2 tablespoons garlic powder 
1 tablespoon paprika 
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
1 teaspoon salt 

BREADING: 
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
1 cup fine yellow cornmeal 
2 tablespoons garlic powder 
1 tablespoon chili powder 
1 tablespoon salt 
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper 
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper 
1-1/2 cups vegetable oil 

DIRECTIONS: 
1) In a large bowl, whisk together all the marinade ingredients. 2) Place the catfish in a large shallow dish. 3) Pour the marinade over the fish, cover the dish with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 24 hours. 4) In a shallow bowl or pie plate, combine all the breading ingredients. 5) Remove the catfish from the marinade, letting excess run back into the dish. 6) Dredge the fillets in the breading mixture to lightly coat both sides; shake off any excess. 7) In a large skillet (preferably cast iron), heat the oil over medium heat. 8) When the oil is hot, about 350 degrees Fahrenheit, carefully lower the fillets into the pan. 9) Cook until the fillets are lightly browned and the flesh is opaque throughout when flaked with a fork, 3 to 5 minutes on each side. 10) Use a slotted spatula to remove the fish to a warmed serving plate. 

HUSH PUPPIES 
Recipe from Southern Style  
By Jane Bradley 

INGREDIENTS: 
1-1/2 cups fine white cornmeal 
3 tablespoons flour 
1 teaspoon sugar 
1 teaspoon salt 
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
2 tablespoons butter, lard, or shortening, melted 
2 eggs, beaten 
1 cup buttermilk (additional may be needed) 
2 tablespoons finely minced onion 
Oil or shortening for deep frying 

DIRECTIONS: 
1) In a medium bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir to blend. Add melted butter (or lard or shortening); beaten eggs; buttermilk; minced onion; and stir to blend. Mixture must be moist but must also hold its shape on a spoon. 2) Heat oil to 375 degrees Fahrenheit in a deep-fat fryer or large saucepan. Oil needs to be about 2 to 2-1/2 inches deep. 3) Dip spoon into the oil or shortening, scoop up about a tablespoon of batter and push batter into the hot oil with another spoon. Don’t crowd the fryer or saucepan; the hush puppies will fry more evenly and will float and stop sizzling when cooked through. 4) Turn frequently until golden brown. 5) Drain on paper towels. 6) You can keep hush puppies warm in a 250-degree oven until all the mixture has been cooked. 

NOTE (this is important!): If too much liquid is used, the hush puppies will not hold their shape and won’t cook through. If not enough liquid is used, the hush puppies will be irregularly and roughly shaped and will not be light and fluffy. Test your mixture by cooking one hush puppy and either add another tablespoon of cornmeal or another tablespoon of water or buttermilk, as needed. Serves: 6 to 8. 

DENNIS LITTLEY’S BEST HOMEMADE COLESLAW RECIPE 
Recipe from Chef Dennis Littley  
From askchefdennis.com 

INGREDIENTS: 
1 small cabbage shredded and chopped (about 6 cups) 
1 large carrot shredded 
1 cup mayonnaise 
1/3 cup granulated sugar 
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 
1-1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 
1 teaspoon salt (more or less to taste) 
1/8 teaspoon pepper (more or less to taste) 

DIRECTIONS:  
1) Cut the cabbage in half and remove the core from each side. 2) Using a sharp knife cut the cabbage in very thin slices, then chop the slices into small pieces. Place the prepared cabbage in a large mixing bowl. 3) You can use a food processor to slice or shred the cabbage, or you can also use a box grater to shred the cabbage and carrot. 4) Lightly salting shredded cabbage for 20 to 30 minutes draws out excess moisture before the dressing is added. This simple step helps prevent watery coleslaw, especially if you’re making it several hours ahead. 5) In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth and creamy. 6) Pour the slaw dressing over the cabbage and carrots. Thoroughly mix to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve. 7) Coleslaw is always better after sitting for a day; make sure to mix the slaw a few times as it sits in the fridge.