Our Carolinas have over 15,000 miles of beautiful seashore coast dotted with islands and seafood restaurants serving some of the best dishes this region has to offer. Here is a platter of boiled, whole shrimp ready to be peeled and devoured. Locals go to the Spring annual “Blessing of the Fleet” Seafood Festivals in McClellanville, and Mt Pleasant, SC for the shrimp boat trawlers, captains and crew that haul in these tasty shellfish. Let’s look at 7 of the best seafood dishes with local ingredients from our area.

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Whole Boiled Shrimp

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Bowl of Creamy Crab or She Crab Soup, available year ’round in the Carolinas

Crispy Crab Sandwich, Seasonal only,

  1. Carolina Crab Dip, served warm or cold. This scrumptious appetizer is rich with Blue Crab meat, cheeses, and seasonings and is found on coastal and seafood menus of local restaurants in the Carolinas and beyond.
  2. “She” Crab Soup is a creamy Blue Crab soup made with the female crab roe served warm and usually laced with a dry Sherry wine or sprinkled with Old Bay seasoning. Being from inland NC, I had never heard of this soup before moving to the Lowcountry coastal region of SC. Now that I’ve tried it and made 5 Gallon batches of the good stuff for catering events and local restaurant service, I look for this soup on menus around the states and try them all. I have an award winning recipe I’m willing to share if you email me.
  3. Catfish Stew is a sensational soup made from Catfish fillets and vegetables. These large bottom dwelling fish are plentiful in our lovely lakes and we stew them down in a tomato based or creamy chowder style soup served with lots of Saltine crackers and a bottle of hot sauce on the side.
  4. Crab Stuffed Flounder was always the first meal I look for on a seafood restaurants menu, as it is my personal favorite. My hubby and I flounder gig the tidal pools and flats of the saltmarsh for these elusive, delicately flavored white fish. Enjoy fresh caught baby flounder fillets wrapped around a scoop of crab stuffing dotted with butter and broiled. A generous squeeze of fresh lemon replaces the need for heavy cream sauce on this dish.
  5. Crispy Crab Sandwich. This really is a favorite seasonal dish served when the blue crabs are in a molten stage and their shells are soft. The softshell crabs are cleaned and fried to order, dusted with Old Bay seasoning, and served on soft bun.
  6. Shrimp and Grits are a famous dish found in both small diners and formal restaurants alike. A bowl of creamy stone ground grits are covered in a light sauce with shrimp and crisp bacon or sausage pieces.
  7. Oysters are in season during Winter months for raw consumption, but are safely eaten year around in the Carolinas. Fried, steamed, grilled, and raw, these tasty little treats are celebrated in Charleston, SC with the states biggest public oyster roast going on annually. Steamed cluster style oysters are served by the bucket at wooden tables with a hole in the middle and a trash bin underneath to catch the empty shells. Large “single select” oysters are served raw on ice with condiments and crackers. They are a staple on a seafood platter and are healthy. Read my article on this Carolina ingredient we love so much with Link Here: https://mycarolinacuisine.wordpress.com/2021/08/08/lets-dive-into-carolina-oysters/