Author Archives: valshort

The Swansboro Shrimp Roll…. an Homage to Maine’s Lobster Roll

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Whenever I smell shrimp steaming on the stovetop, I can expect a flood of memories of home. On warm, summer days in Swansboro, my mother frequently made shrimp salad, which I believe is the perfect summer lunch treat1 I have tweaked her recipe a bit and suggest piling this delicate salad atop a toasted roll, split on top– just like a Lobster Roll, but better! Try it and let me know what you think!

Swansboro Shrimp Roll

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound fresh or frozen NC shrimp
  • 3 cups water
  • 4 tsp. Old Bay
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise (I use Hellman’s)
  • 1/3 cup sweet pickles, chopped (preferably homemade)
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
  • 4 split sandwich rolls (or hot dog buns)
  • 2 Tbs. butter, softened

Directions:

  • Wash and clean shrimp. (Shrimp will have more flavor if you cook them in the shells, but if you prefer, remove the shells and devein them before cooking. You can also cook the shrimp with the shells you have removed.)
  • Place shrimp in a medium pot and cover with water.
  • Bring water to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Stir the shrimp until all are pink.
  • Remove the pot from the heat and sprinkle shrimp with 3 tsp. Old Bay.
  • Let shrimp cool in the pot. When they are cool enough to handle, drain the shrimp and remove the shells.
  • Break or cut shrimp into quarter inch pieces and place in a medium glass bowl.
  • Add celery, mayonnaise, and pickles. Stir to combine.
  • Add 1/2 tsp. to 1 tsp. Old Bay (to taste.)
  • Spread butter on tops of rolls and toast in a skillet or under the broiler.
  • Fill rolls with shrimp mixture and serve immediately.

This Shrimp Salad can be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated. It can also be served without the roll on a bed of lettuce. Enjoy!

Val Tucker Short July, 2025

Make Your Own Capt. Charlie’s Stuffed Shrimp for the Holidays!

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I’ve had a kind reader request the recipe for Capt. Charlie’s Stuffed Shrimp so that she can surprise her son at their Thanksgiving meal!  What a fabulous idea— it’s such a festive and tasty dish and a wonderful way to celebrate two delicious gifts from the sea— crab and shrimp—and the holiday season!

Stuffed Shrimp and Stuffed Flounder were two signature dishes at Capt. Charlie’s that were at the upper end of the price range on the menu and in our family, reserved for special occasions like birthdays.  Each dish was prepared by hand and baked individually on oval, cast-iron plates that fit perfectly into the restaurant’s heavy white china for serving. 

I will share the Stuffed Flounder recipe at a later date, so for now, let’s focus on Stuffed Shrimp.  When you ordered Stuffed Shrimp at Capt. Charlies, you had two options:  Butter or Hot Sauce.  Both are equally delicious and very different.  My preference was always butter, but for those who could not decide, you could order it with half butter and half hot sauce!  I will share the recipes for both.

To make the stuffed shrimp with hot sauce, I’m going to reveal a hidden secret here! You must first have the recipe for the hot sauce, which was actually Capt. Charlie’s Cocktail Sauce!  Cocktail Sauce was made by the gallons at Capt. Charlie’s by the kitchen staff.  I have the original recipe, which makes a gallon, but I have pared it down for you here: 

Capt. Charlie’s Cocktail Sauce

Ingredients:  Juice of one lemon, 5 Tbs. prepared horseradish; 3 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce; 1 ½ Tbs. Texas Pete; 1 cup tomato juice; and ¾ cup catsup.

Mix all ingredients in a quart glass jar and shake well.  Refrigerate.  Optional:  to kick it up a bit, add the grated zest of one lemon. This sauce is best after a few days in the refrigerator.

Once you have the sauce, the rest of the recipe is easy.  Here you go:

Capt. Charlie’s Stuffed Shrimp

Ingredients:  1 pound fresh or fresh-frozen jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined, and butterflied; 1 pound lump crabmeat, picked through to remove shell, (backfin will also work); 1-2 cups Capt.  Charlie’s Cocktail Sauce; ¼ cup butter, softened.

Directions:  Generously brush shallow baking dish with butter; gently lay butterflied shrimp flat on the pan;  generously pile crabmeat on top of each shrimp; pour cocktail sauce over the shrimp and crabmeat; bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about a half hour, or until shrimp are pink and sauce is bubbly.  Serves two.

Alternative Stuffed Shrimp with Butter:  Melt 2 sticks of butter in a microwave-safe measuring cup; pour butter over shrimp and crabmeat and bake as directed above.

Happy Holidays from your old friends at Capt. Charlie’s Seafood Paradise, Swansboro, NC!

By Popular Demand… Capt. Charlie’s Deviled Crab From Our Kitchen to Yours!

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There was always a “special” on Capt. Charlie’s menu. For a mere $2.95 in the 60’s, you could get a piece of fried fish– your choice of flounder, blue fish or mullet– and a nice portion of deviled crab casserole with fries, cole slaw, hushpuppies and of course, the cup of Capt. Charlie’s iconic clam chowder!  Those were indeed the good ‘ole days!

I must confess that Deviled Crab was my least favorite dish at Capt. Charlie’s back in the day, but I did eventually grow to appreciate the colorful presentation, the hint of spiciness, the explosion of flavors that enhanced the delicate crabmeat, and the sheer popularity of this unique casserole.  Because of the spice, you might assume the recipe includes red pepper flakes or a few shakes of Texas Pete, but no.  There are no spicy peppers in this recipe– not even ground black pepper! You’ll find only  sweet red and green peppers with a few chopped sweet onions thrown in. I think the spice flavors come from several mystery ingredients that you would never recognize unless you have a super discerning palate! I believe the worcestershire sauce, sweet pickles, and Old Bay seasoning are the hidden gems in this recipe that provide a depth of flavor that makes this dish different from any other deviled crab you’ll ever taste.

Deviled crab at Capt. Charlie’s was baked in large quantities every other day or so. The original recipe called for six pounds of lump crabmeat, several loaves of toasted bread, and tons of onions and peppers! I have scaled down the original recipe to more affordable and manageable quantities. I am happy to finally– after so many requests for this recipe– share it with you now.  With best wishes from the Tucker family, this recipe is now yours.

Capt. Charlie’s Deviled Crab Casserole

Ingredients: 10 slices of toasted bread; 1 1/3 cups milk; 2 sticks of celery, chopped fine; 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped fine; 1 medium red pepper, chopped fine; 1 medium sweet onion, chopped fine; 1 pound can of lump crabmeat; 1 stick butter, melted; 1 tsp. seafood seasoning (Old Bay;) 1 Tbs. dry wine; 2 sweet pickle slices, chopped; 4Tbs. mayonnaise; 21/2 Tbs. prepared mustard; salt to taste; and 1/4 cup worcestershire sauce.

Directions:                                                                                                                                  Preheat oven to 350.  Toast bread for about 10 minutes, until light brown and crunchy. Cut bread into small pieces and place in a large bowl.  Pour milk over bread and mix well.  Set aside.

While bread is toasting, chop vegetables and pickles and mix well in a large bowl. Gently toss vegetables with  crabmeat. Add bread mixture, melted butter, mustard, mayonnaise, wine, and seasonings. Mix gently with your hands.

Pour into a buttered 9 X 13 inch pan and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and pour ¼ cup of Worcestershire sauce over the mixture.  Return to oven and bake for about 30 more minutes or until bubbly and brown. Serve immediately.  Keeps well in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for several months.  Enjoy!

Tucker’s Shrimp Creole Is Still a Family Favorite

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Even before we were associated with Capt.Charlie’s Restaurant in Swansboro, our dad, Harry Tucker, or Pop as we called him, was the expert in the kitchen at home. But our Mama, Lou Grady Thompson Tucker, was a fine cook in her own right. Shrimp Creole was one of her specialties and it was the most perfect and satisfying of comfort foods!

Shrimp Creole was another Tucker family recipe that never made its way to the Capt. Charlie’s menu, but this delicious creation was served often at home on chilly nights and on special occasions.

The success of this dish is, of course, dependent on the availability of delicious, quality shrimp. Those were then and still are very plentiful and delicious in Swansboro! My favorite source of fresh shrimp in Swansboro continues to be Clyde Phillips Seafood Market on the causeway, which also offers many other gifts from the sea!

So– here’s Mama’s recipe for Shrimp Creole, which I have tweaked a bit.  I’m also sharing my own substitute for Old Bay, which adds some additional notes of sweetness and spice that I think Mama would have loved!

 Ingredients:                                                                                                                       1  pound fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined; reserve shells                                            2  Tbs. butter or olive oil                                                                                                    1/2  cup each diced green pepper and chopped celery                                                      1  medium sweet onion, chopped                                                                                      1/2 cup sliced mushrooms                                                                                                3  cloves garlic, smashed but not cut                                                                                2  14.5 oz. cans petite cut diced tomatoes                                                                          1  14.5 oz. can tomato sauce                                                                                            1-2  tsp. Old Bay seasoning                                                                                                 2  bay leaves                                                                                                                      1-2 cups shrimp broth                                                                                                          Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:                                                                                                                         Peel and devein shrimp. Place shells in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes.  Wash shrimp well and drain.

Saute bell pepper and celery in oil or butter; Add onions and saute until transparent. Add mushrooms, garlic, and bay leaves; continue to saute for 2-3 minutes; Add canned tomatoes and sauce and stir to combine; add spices and bring to a simmer; Strain shells from shrimp broth and measure 1 to 2 cups of broth and pour into vegetable mixture.  Continue to simmer.

When vegetables are tender, add the shrimp and bring to a simmer but not a hard boil. Simmer 3 to 5 minutes or until shrimp are pink; remove from heat. Remove bay leaves and garlic.

Serve over cooked rice with fresh buttered bread and a green salad.  Enjoy!

           Bonus Recipe:  Val’s New Old Bay                                                                       Combine the following:  1 Tbs. celery salt, 1/4 tsp. paprika, 1/8 tsp. fresh ground pepper, 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, and 1 pinch of these spices:  nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, cloves, ginger, and dry mustard.   Mix well and store in a sealed container.

 

Soft Shell Crabs–Easy and Delicious!

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There’s really nothing better to me than a light and crunchy soft shell crab, nestled on a soft sandwich roll, and dressed with fresh, sweet Soft Crabscole slaw.  That’s the perfect lunch for me on any day! One delicious bite can immediately transmit  images, textures, sounds, and smells of Coastal Carolina.

Soft shell crabs are very easy to prepare and the little time and effort they require makes them so worth it!  Frozen soft shells are usually available at coastal seafood markets.  You can also find fresh, live soft crabs at some markets during the Spring and Summer.  One of my favorite sources for these delicate creatures is Full Circle Crab Company in Columbia, NC, where you can find both frozen and fresh soft crabs in various sizes.

Cleaning the crabs is the first step, whether they are fresh or frozen.  If the crabs are alive, you’ll want to quickly clip off the face and eyes of the crab first.  Turn the crab over and snip off the triangular shaped apron. Without removing the soft outer shell, gently turn back the edges and remove the gills, which will be a greenish yellow color. Rinse and drain on clean paper towels.  Now you’re ready to cook!

I don’t like a heavily breaded soft crab, so I avoid the egg wash, double-dipping technique!  Mine are dusted with a light cornmeal mixture and fried quickly in hot oil.  Be sure to arm yourself with an apron and a shield of some sort, because they will pop!  Here’s the recipe….

4 soft shell crabs, cleaned and drained
1 cup of plain yellow cornmeal
½ cup of cracker meal (substitute plain bread crumbs if you can’t find cracker meal)
1 tsp. salt
1-2 cups canola or blended vegetable oil

Pour oil into your favorite frying pan to a depth of ¾ inch.  Heat oil until it’s hot. Dust crabs with the cornmeal mixture, shaking off any excess. Gently place crabs in hot oil.  Fry for a few minutes until crabs turn pink and crust has browned, then turn.  When your crust turns a golden brown, the crabs are ready!  Remove and drain on paper towels.  Serve immediately and enjoy!

Let me know how you like them!

Seafood, not dessert, was the star of the show at Capt. Charlie’s!

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The dessert menu back in the day at Capt. Charlie’s was minimal, but you could always count on Sara Lee’s New York Cheesecake—usually plain with no toppings—and lemon meringue pie.  We had no bakery in town, but the pies were usually homemade by various people— waitresses, cooks, friends, and neighbors. During the summers of my high school years, I would often make the lemon meringue pies myself.  I enjoyed baking, but I was no pastry chef!  I used prepared pie crusts and Jell-O pie filling, but the meringue was my own—light, fluffy, sweet, and delicious!

The focus back then was the seafood…. I can hear it now… “People come to Capt. Charlie’s for our seafood—not the dessert!”  Desserts were a bit of an afterthought. And actually, the entrée portions we served were so generous that customers usually passed on desserts anyway.

Desserts became more popular in later years. The profit margin on praline cheesecake and key lime pie made them worth our while to sell. There’s really nothing better after a filling and satisfying seafood meal than a delicious lemon or lime dessert and a hot cup of tea!

My baking skills have improved since those teen years and I have a couple of lemon desserts that I would love to share.  My Lemon Chess Pie has been a family favorite and a frequent addition to church potluck suppers.  The pie is tart and lemony and a small slice will surely satisfy your sweet tooth!

The Lemon Heaven Pie is one of my very favorite desserts and a delightful variation on Lemon Meringue Pie. This heavenly dessert was introduced to me by good friend Jane who got it from her mother.  The crust is actually a large baked meringue which is topped with a lemon curd filling. Ahhh… it’s so light and delicious!

Try them both and let me know what you think!

Lemon Chess Pie

2 prepared pie crusts

Juice and zest of 2 lemons

½ stick of butter, melted

3 eggs, slightly beaten

1 ½ cups of sugar

2 Tbs. plain flour

Combine flour, sugar, and butter.  Add eggs, lemon juice and rind. Stir just long enough to mix.  Pour into prepared pie crusts or about 12 prepared tart shells.  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes.

Lemon Heaven Pie

4 eggs, separated

½ tsp. cream of tartar

¾ cup and ½ cup sugar, separated

6 Tbs. fresh squeezed lemon juice

¼ tsp. salt

½ tsp. lemon zest

¼  cup powdered sugar

½ tsp. vanilla

Crust: Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Spray pie plate with Pam. Beat egg whites until frothy.  Add cream of tartar and beat until stiff.  Blend in ¾ cup sugar. Pour into pie plate and bake 45 minutes.  Cool completely.

Filling:  Combine egg yolks, ½ cup sugar, lemon juice, and salt in a double boiler.  Add lemon zest.  Cook and stir until thickened.  Pour lemon mixture into cooled pie crust.

Topping: Whip cream; add powdered sugar and vanilla and mix until thick and creamy. Spread over lemon mixture.

Chill pie until ready to serve.

Enjoy!

Shrimp & Grits: the Ultimate Comfort Food!

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As long as the Tuckers were associated with Capt. Charlie’s, Shrimp and Grits was never on the menu.  It was a South Carolina low country dish that didn’t really make its way up “North” until the mid 80’s.  The late Bill Neal, chef at Crook’s Corner in Chapel Hill, served a wonderful Shrimp & Grits and he generously shared his recipe. (Google it and see what happens!)

I have developed my own recipe that has never failed to satisfy.  I am glad to share it with you here…..

Shrimp & GritsCapt. Charlie’s Daughter’s Shrimp & Grits

1 pound fresh or frozen raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

6 strips of bacon

1 small onion, coarsely chopped

6 fresh mushrooms, sliced

½ cup dry white wine

1 cup of grits

4 cups of water

½ stick of butter

4 oz. shredded extra sharp cheddar

1 tsp. salt

¾ tsp. Old Bay seasoning

4 green onions, chopped

½ cup chopped fresh tomatoes

Prepare shrimp; rinse, drain, and set aside. Fry bacon and drain on paper towels; crumble when cool. Place shrimp in pan with bacon drippings and sauté until pink. Remove from pan and set aside; sprinkle shrimp with Old Bay.  Add chopped onion and mushrooms to the pan and sauté until tender.  Add wine to deglaze the pan.  Stir and reduce heat to low.  Return shrimp to the pan and keep warm.

Pour water into large saucepan; add salt and bring to a boil.  Add grits and reduce heat, stirring occasionally.  As grits thicken, add butter and cheese.  Continue to stir.

Ladle grits into a soup bowl.  Top with shrimp and onion and mushroom mixture. Garnish with bacon crumbles, green onions, and chopped tomatoes.   Serves 4.

Enjoy!

Clam Chowder Cures the Cold!

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When the days get shorter and the nights turn cold, I often think about winters in Swansboro!  Quite often, a bone-chilling wind blew off the water, penetrating all layers of clothing and leaving a fine, icy dampness on my face and hair. I’m sure I’ve been in much colder places, but in my memory, there was no other cold like it! But alas, we had the perfect remedy for that relentless cold…. Capt. Charlie’s clam chowder!

Capt. Charlie’s clam chowder was one of the restaurant’s signature dishes back in the day. For me, it was the ultimate comfort food— steaming hot, mildly fragrant but full of flavor, and thick with tender clams, onions, potatoes, and broth.  That chowder could cure a cold, improve my spirits, and restore my sanity!  In a spoonful of  chowder I experienced the essence of the ocean, warming body, heart, and soul all at once!

Inevitably, when I bump into longtime Capt. Charlie’s customers, they will say, “I would love to have the recipe for Capt. Charlie’s clam chowder!”  I am always happy to share it as my father did very often.  In fact, he submitted the recipe for publication in the Swansboro United Methodist Women’s cook book, Collard Greens, Watermelons and “Miss” Charlotte’s Pie, published in 1993.   It’s there, on page 344, titled “Clam Chowder for a Crowd.”  And here it is for you….

Clam Chowder for a Crowd

    2 gallons clams, chopped                3 gallons potatoes, cubed

    2 ribs celery, chopped                      salt to taste

    2 bunches green onions, chopped   pepper to taste

    2 gallons onions, chopped               Old Bay Seasoning to taste

    1/2 pound side meat, fried out         cornmeal, to thicken

    2 cups Chablis wine

Cover clams with four inches of water; add side meat renderings, wine, and spices. Cook until tender.  Add celery, onions, and potatoes.  Cook until potatoes are tender. Thicken with three handfuls of yellow cornmeal, which has been dissolved in a quart of water, being careful not to leave lumps.

Just in case you’re not in the mood to entertain a “crowd” just to get to the chowder, I have scaled this recipe down a bit to more reasonable proportions that will easily serve two to four….

Clam Chowder for a Few

      6 slices bacon                              1 pint clams, chopped & undrained

      2 ribs celery, chopped                  6 medium potatoes, cubed

      1 large sweet onion, chopped      sea salt to taste

      1 bunch green onions, chopped   fresh ground pepper to taste

       1/2 to 1 cup dry white wine          1 to 2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning

       4   8-oz. bottles clam juice            1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

       Water– about 4 cups, reserving 1 cup

Fry bacon and set aside to drain. Saute celery and onions in bacon drippings until tender.  Add wine to deglaze the pan.  Transfer mixture to a soup pot.  Add clam juice, potatoes, and 3 cups of water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.  Add clams and seasonings and simmer for another 15 minutes.  Combine cornmeal with 1 cup of water and mix until smooth.  Pour through a strainer into the soup mixture.  Bring soup to a boil and reduce heat.  Simmer until ready to serve. Ladle into soup bowls and top with crumbled bacon.  Serve with hot hushpuppies.  Enjoy!

Post a comment to let me know how you like it!

Hello Friends!

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Growing up in Swansboro, NC, being the daughter of the owner of Capt. Charlie’s Seafood Paradise was my one and only claim to fame!  When I turned 16, my father put me to work at the restaurant. I served there in many capacities over the next 15 years from waitress to bartender to hostess.   I did not realize it at the time, but the many hours I spent there helped me form the foundation for my work ethic and my professional life and made many lasting impressions upon me.  I certainly developed a love and appreciation for deliciously prepared seafood and for the value of excellent customer service!

We have all moved on and Capt. Charlie’s has been through numerous renovations and reinventions since our tenure there.  But I continue to carry a bit of nostalgia for those sweet days in my quaint and friendly hometown.  In this blog, you’ll find stories about those good ‘ole days, my favorite seafood recipes, my favorite restaurant reviews, guest posts from friends and family of Capt. Charlie’s, and much more! Stay tuned!