RECIPE: Shrimp and summer vegetables make for a quick skillet supper

While visiting the Lowcountry a few years ago, I stopped at the pier in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, to buy some shrimp. The man standing in line in front of me asked the young dockhand how to boil them. Before he could answer, an elderly Southern matron with a slow drawl interrupted: ”Bring seasoned watah to a boil and add thuh shrimp. Take two sips ‘a wine. Stir thuh pot. Thay aruh dun.” This seafood recipe isn’t for boiled shrimp, but it’s nearly just as quick as boiling seasoned “watah” and taking two sips ‘a wine — so get your skillet ready.

I am a huge proponent of wild American shrimp. Lucky for us, we have access to wild shrimp from the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico. Many farm-raised imports are not sustainable. The farms damage the delicate mangrove ecosystem. The shrimp are proactively fed antibiotics to keep them free from disease in the crowded ponds. And, when you buy wild American shrimp, you put money into local economies. When purchasing shrimp, look for shrimp with a mild, almost sweet scent. If there’s any trace of ammonia, the shrimp are no longer fresh.

This recipe is a Southern stir-fry of sorts. The components are quickly cooked in stages, then combined at the end of cooking. Okra, corn and tomatoes are a bold and bright combination with the sweet, tender shrimp, showcasing the best of summer.

Skillet Roasted Okra and Shrimp

What’s the best way to cut kernels off of a corn cob? Some cooks suggest placing the ear upright and slicing down. However, I prefer to lay the cob flat on a cutting board and cut flat along the side, rotating the cob until all the kernels are removed. The cob won’t roll around when the flat sides are kept against the cutting board and the kernels don’t scatter far.