Tag Archives: seafood recipes

seafood recipes

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.