Low Country Foil

Low Country Foil

Around here, late summer and early fall is the time for outdoor, communal seafood feasts; fish fries, scallop bakes, oyster shucking, crab pots and low country boils.  The latter usually consists of shrimp, smoked sausage, corn and potatoes. Potatoes are thrown into a huge pot of boiling water seasoned with Old Bay. Then the rest of the ingredients are added according to their cooking time. Next the corn, then the sausage and finally the shrimp. When the shrimp are finished everything is poured out onto a picnic table covered in butcher’s paper and then everyone just digs in.

I wanted a low country boil, but it seemed impractical for just the two of us. And we don’t have a big picnic table. And it wouldn’t be the same without a crowd. However, I still wanted to be reminded of that summer fun. So. I compromised. Instead of a huge pot of boiling water, I steamed the seafood in foil packs. It worked out great! Now we can have summer all year long.

Serving: 4-6

Time: Active time 15 minutes; Cook: 40 Minutes, boil in about an hour

Hardware: Measuring spoons and cups, a cutting board and knives, a large stock pot, a colander, a microwave safe bowl, a sheet pan, a lot of foil, scissors, tongs

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of new potatoes
• 3 ears of corn
• 1 ½ pound large shrimp (peeled and cleaned)
• 1 pound of smoked sausage (I used kielbasa, you could use andouille)
• 1 large onion (6-8 ounces)
• 6 tablespoons of butter
• 1 tablespoon of Old Bay Seasoning
• A lemon
• 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley (optional)

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400˚.
2. Wash the potatoes. Cut the corn into three pieces. Boil the potatoes and corn until the potatoes are just soft. Drain.
3. While the potatoes are boiling, melt the butter in the bowl. Then stir the Old Bay into the melted butter.
4. Peel and quarter the onion. Separate the onion layers. Slice the sausage into one-inch pieces.
5. Roll out two pieces of foil that are twice the length of the sheet pan. Lay the first piece of foil, facing in the opposite direction, so that the middle of the foil is in the middle of the pan.  Place the second sheet on top of that, but in the same direction as the pan. (Figure 5)
6. Pile all the food into the middle of the foil. Pour half the butter mixture over it and toss so that it is all covered. Slice the lemon in half and squeeze half over the food. Throw the squeezed lemon onto into the pile. Sprinkle one of the tablespoons of parsley over the food.
7. Pick up the long edges of the top foil, bring them up to meet one another and fold them over like you would a lunch bag. Roll the foil down until it is flat against the food. Fold up the short edges. Do the same thing with the other piece of foil, but start with the short ends. Crimp it to make sure that the foil pack is completely sealed. Bake for 20 minutes.
8.  To serve put something down to protect your table. Place the sheet pan down on top of that. Cut the foil open. Be careful, it will steam. Pour the rest of the butter over the boil. Squeeze the rest of the lemon over everything and top with fresh parsley. Allow everyone to use tongs to serve themselves. 

Figure 5