To Seafood Is To Love Food

     Fish fry's in the Lowcountry have always been an event that brings together friends and family to share in the bounty of our areas lakes, creeks and of course the ocean. Fry's come in all shapes and sizes, it might be as simple as  cornmeal rolled Bream,Crappie  or squealers(small catfish) or a true banquet with a cornucopia of all the oceans goodness from shark steak or spanish mackerel to fried oysters and scallops. One of the great things about the south is that you never show up empty handed. While in college I picked up this recipe and I use it whenever I'm invited to anything having to do with our aquatic friends. It's not hard, it only takes a little patience (that's all I have) and it makes you look like you grew up in a restaurant.

       Fried Fish With Seafood And Artichokes

8-10 fish fillet's:  I love speckled sea trout, Spot Tail Bass(Redfish), and Wahoo are all great. Pretty much dealers choice.

2lbs of large peeled shrimp:

1&1/2 lbs of large sea scallops:

1/8th cup of olive oil:

3/4-cup of sour cream

1&1/2-sticks of margarine:

1-large chopped onion eigthed :

12- sliced mushrooms:

1- red bell pepper cut into strips

2-cans of artichokes:

3-cups of flour:

Salt, Pepper, Garlic(no garlic salt):

2-cups of white wine:


           Here's where it gets fun.
     In a deep(I mean deep) frying pan add the olive oil and 1 stick of margarine and turn up the heat to high. Salt pepper and garlic your fish and then coat with flour before gently placing them in the hot pan. Don't overcook,just gently brown both sided before removing the filet's and placing them in a pan in your oven to stay warm.Turn your burner down to simmer and Deg-lase( Fancy term for  using a liquid to help scrape all the good stuff free from the bottom of your pan) the pan with white wine. Into the freshly deg-lased pan add everything else except the shrimp or scallops. Let everything simmer for 15 minutes before stirring in your shrimp and scallops,,,,,,TASTE, TASTE, TASTE. Salt pepper and garlic to taste,,,go light seafood swims on its own.
     Take your fish out of the oven and lay over the mixture. Spoon some of the goodies over the fish and lets simmer for 10 more minutes. just like everything else in Charleston its served over rice.