Emily Smith Schroeder (“Miss Emily”) was born in downtown Charleston, South Carolina and raised by seafood loving parents.
She grew up with a tidal creek in the backyard and shrimp and fish vendors pushing wooden carts down the sidewalk outside the front door.
Emily served as a Department of Natural Resources (DNR) employee for 30 years, and retired from DNR in 2006. She has loved being called on over the years to assist with functions that involves food, especially when it comes to preparing seafood dishes. She loves to set off a dish against a background of beautiful fabrics, flower arrangements, nautical decoration and dishes.
Shrimp Creole
- 6 slices bacon
- ¾ cup onion, chopped
- ¾ cup bell pepper, chopped
- 4 cups can tomatoes
- ¾ cup celery, chopped
- 4 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 shakes of hot sauce
- 2 lbs of shrimp, cooked, peeled, deveined
Directions: Fry bacon, remove and drain. Brown chopped vegetables in bacon grease. Add
tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, pepper and salt. Cook slowly until thick, stirring occasionally. Add
shrimp fifteen minutes before serving. Add fried crumbled bacon and serve over fluffy rice.
Beaufort Stew
- 16 lbs. of beef sausage
- 2 bushels of corn
- 40 lbs. shrimp
- 10 pkg. crab boil
- 1-2 bottles crushed red pepper
Directions: Simmer sausage and seasoning in huge pot for about 30 minutes.
Add corn, cook for 7 minutes. Then add shrimp and cook for 4 more.
If crabs are used, these may be dropped in along with the shrimp.
Small clams may be placed in and cooked for 1 – 1 1/2 minutes.
Oyster Dressing
- 1 pt. oyster
- A cup of chicken broth
- 1 stick of butter
- ½ cup minced celery
- ½ cup minced onion or scallions
- 1 tsp dried thyme leaves, crushed
- 2 cups herb dressing mix
- 2 cups corn bread dressing mix
- ½ cup fresh parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions: Drain oysters, reserve liquid. Cut oysters in half if large. Heat broth, 4 tablespoons
butter, add celery and scallions. Simmer over medium heat until onions are limp. Add remaining butter,
parsley, thyme, stuffing mixes and oysters. Add liquid reserve from oysters. Dressing should be moist.
Season to taste. Sometimes I add whatever like mushrooms, walnuts, cranberries, cut apples.
Oyster Pie
According to Emily, “You cannot have a Lowcountry Thanksgiving without Oyster Pie. It’s a
tradition!”
- 2 pints oysters
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon dry sherry
- 2 sleeves of Ritz crackers, crushed in sleeve
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 2 cups half and half or whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter
Directions: Melt butter in frying pan. Add saltines and toss 5 minutes. Drain oysters and reserve
liquid. Salt and pepper oysters. Mix half and half or whipping cream, sherry, Worcestershire sauce, and
reserved liquid. Beginning and ending with buttered Ritz, layer Ritz, and oysters. Some people use
Saltines. Pour milk mixture over top and dot with the tablespoon of butter. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
Light Crab Soup
- ½ stick butter
- 1 qt. milk
- 1 pt. cream or half & half
- ½ tsp. mace
- 1/8 tsp. pepper
- ½ tsp. lemon juice
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 cup finely chopped celery
- 1 cup finely chopped spring onion
- 4 tbsp. dry sherry
- 1-2 lbs. white crab meat
Directions: Melt butter, add celery, onion and sauté just a few minutes. Combine all other
ingredients except sherry. Cook slowly over medium heat for approximately 20 minutes. Additional butter
can be added. To serve, place 1 tbsp. of sherry in individual soup bowls, then add soup. Sprinkle with
paprika or finely chopped parsley.
Shrimp Gravy (Shrimp and Grits)
- 1 cup diced country ham
- 6 slices bacon
- 1 cup diced green onion
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoons Kitchen Bouquet
- 1 teaspoon Worchestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 teaspoon salt
Directions: Brown bacon in saucepan. Drain on paper towel. Add onions to bacon grease and
saute on medium. Add peppers stirring and scraping the brown bits off bottom. Stir in tablespoon butter.
Add flour and reduce to low. Add ham, stir well with vegetables until browned. Whisk in chicken broth
until smooth. Increase heat and add kitchen bouquet, Worcestershire sauce, salt pepper and reserved bacon.
Stir and simmer on low 20 to 30 minutes. Saute shrimp 3 to 5 minutes add to gravy and serve with hot
grits.
Crab Balls
- One lb. crabmeat
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 cup cracker crumbs
- A tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 tsp. celery salt
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- A tablespoon Worcestershire
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
Directions: Mix together and add mayonnaise until the mixture has a texture conducive to rolling.
Roll the crab into 1-in diameter balls. Mix up beer batter; dip balls in batter and place in deep fryer until
golden on medium heat.
Browned Oysters
- 1 pint select oysters
- 2 cups finely crushed saltine crackers
- ½ cup melted butter
- Worcestershire sauce to taste
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. white pepper
- Lemon wedges for garnish
Directions: Drain oysters. Salt and pepper and then dredge in crushed saltine crackers. Heat
butter over moderate heat in a heavy skillet and brown oyster, turning. Drain on paper towels. Serve with
lemon wedge, tartar sauce or cocktail sauce.
Hot Crab
- 1 lb lump crab meat
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons flour
- ½ pint cream
- 2 tablespoon sherry
- 1 cup sharp grated cheese
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
Directions: Make a cream sauce with butter, flour and cream. Add sherry, salt and pepper.
Remove from heat and add crab meat. Pour into a butter casserole or baking dishes or chaffing dish.
Sprinkle with grated cheese and cook in until cheese melts.
Crabmeat Salad
- 4 tablespoons gelatin
- ¾ cup cold water
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 tablespoon dry mustard
- 3 egg yolk, beaten
- 1 whole egg, beaten
- 2 cups whole milk
- ½ cup Tarragon vinegar
- 3 Tablespoon butter
- 4 cups fresh cooked lump crabmeat
- 3 cups diced celery
- 1 cup chopped green onion
- Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, to taste
Directions: Dissolve gelatin in cold water. In double boiler cook until thick the flour,
mustard, egg yolks, whole gee. Milk, vinegar and butter. Add gelatin and remainder of ingredients. Chill
and serve on lettuce leaf with mayonnaise
Crab Cakes:
- 1 pound lump crab meat
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon celery salt
- ½ cup fine bread crumbs
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 ½ cups bread crumbs
Directions: Combine all ingredients except oil, crab meat, and fresh bread crumbs. Gently fold in
picked crabmeat without breaking up the large pieces. Divide and form into patties rolling carefully in the
bread crumbs. Fry in hot oil until done, turning once. I sometimes mince a little onion, green or red pepper,
and celery in the mixture.
Crab Deviled
- 2 Cups fresh lump crab
- 1 cup onion
- 1 cup bell pepper
- ½ cup celery
- 2 egg beaten
- 1 cup crushed saltine crackers
- ½ cup margarine
- 1 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon prepared mustard
- 1 teaspoon horseradish
Directions: Saute in margarine minced onion, bell pepper and celery. Add crackers with
crabmeat in bowl. Pour into crabmeat cooked mixture of onions, bell pepper and celery. Add beaten eggs,
Worcestershire sauce, mustard, horseradish, salt. Stir well. Stuff crab shells or make patties. Bake until
brown.
Read Miss Emily’s Biography HERE.
Source: http://saltwaterfishing.sc.gov/