Seafood cookery in North Carolina

Remove the head just below the collarbone. Cut along the backbone almost to the tail. The fish should lie flat in one piece. Wash fish thoroughly, particularly the body cavity. Combine salt and water. Stir until dissolved. Soak fish in brine for 30 minutes. To smoke fish, use a charcoal fire in a portable barbecue with hood or lid that closes to make a smoker. Soak 1 pound of hickory chips or sawdust in 2 quarts water. Let charcoal fire burn down to a low, even heat. Place i ij of the wet chips on the charcoal. Rinse fish in cold water. Place fish, skin down, on well-greased barbecue grill over the smoking fire. Place cover over grill. Smoke for 1^ :> hours, adding remaining wet chips or sawdust at 15 minute intervals to keep the fire smoking. Increase the temperature by adding more charcoal to the fire and opening the draft. Brush fish sparingly with oil. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Brush again with oil and continue cooking for 10 minutes or until fish is lightly browned. Serves 6. Shad De Luxe 1 onion 1 shad 3 cups water Salt 6 peppercorns 1 small stick cinnamon 2 lemons, sliced 1 tbsp, sugar 1 large apple, sliced 12 almonds, chopped V4 cup raisins 2 eggs, beaten 1 tbsp. cornstarch Cook onion in water 5 minutes. Add shad, seasoned with salt, peppercorns, and cinnamon. Cook 10 minutes. Add sliced lemons with seeds removed, sugar, apple, almonds and raisins. Cook until fish is done, or about 10 minutes. Remove fish. Thicken stock by adding eggs and 1 tbsp. cornstarch, mixed with a little water: cook 1 minute. Pour sauce over fish. Serves 6. ^^tiAi>vuQ Shrimp Creole 1 tsp. chili powder Dash pepper 1 tsp. salt 2 cups canned tomatoes Rice ring 1 Yi lbs. shrimp, fresh or frozen Va cup chopped onion Vi cup chopped green pepper 1 clove garlic, finely chopped Va cup butter or other fot, melted 3 tbsp. flour Peel shrimp, remove sand veins and wash. Cut large shrimp in half. Cook onion, green pepper and garlic in butter until tender. Blend in flour and seasonings. Add tomatoes and cook until thick, stirring constantly. Add shrimp and simmer uncovered about 20 minutes. Serve in a rice ring. Serves 6. Shrimp in Tomato Aspic 2 tsp. horseradish 1 tsp. salt Dash pepper Lettuce Mayonnaise or salad dressing % lb. cooked shrimp 2 tbsp. gelatin 2 cups tomato juice 1 tbsp. lemon juice 1 tsp. grated onion 2 tbsp. chopped pickles Cut large shrimp in half. Soften gelatin in '2 cup of cold tomato juice for 5 minutes. Scald remaining tomato .juice; add gelatin and stir until dissolved. Add next 6 ingredients and shrimp. Pour in mold. Chill until firm. Unmold on lettuce; garnish with mayonnaise. Serves 6. Spiced Shrimp 1 V2 tsp. whole block peppers % tsp. whole cloves 2 qts. boiling water 1 cup vinegar V4 cup salt 1 '/l lbs. shrimp, fresh or froien 1 bunch celery tops 1 bunch parsley 1 1/2 tsp. crushed bay leaves 1 Vi tsp. allspice (whole) 1 Vi tsp. whole red peppers Wash shrimp but do not remove shells. Tie the celery, parsley, and spices in a piece of cheesecloth. To the water add vinegar, salt and bag of seasonings. Cover and simmer 45 minutes. Add shrimp, cover, and return to boiling point; simmer 5 minutes. Drain, peel, and remove sand veins from shrimp. Serve with a cocktail sauce. Serves 6.