Try these mouthwatering selections from the pages of The Pirates’ House Cookbook for a real taste of Savannah! To view the cookbook’s Table of Contents, click here.

Okra Gumbo
(Page 60 of the Pirates’ House Cookbook)

2 (1 lb.) cans tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 small bell pepper, coarsely chopped
2 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
3 ounces ham, diced
5 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3/4 teaspoon Angostura bitters, optional
1 pound frozen sliced okra (or fresh!)

Combine all ingredients except okra in a soup pot. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer 1 hour. Add okra and simmer for 20 minutes more. Serves 6 to 8. Note: Angostura bitters add a certain something, but don’t go out and buy a bottle just for this recipe.

 

Seafood Gumbo
(Page 63 of the Pirates’ House Cookbook)

1 recipe Okra Gumbo Soup (see above)
1.5 cups cooked and peeled baby shrimp (frozen are fine, but thaw and rinse them)
1 pound crabmeat, picked over for shells.
5 minutes before serving, add seafood and heat through. Serves 6 to 8.

Oysters Savannah
(Page 35 of the Pirates’ House Cookbook)

Topping
1 bell pepper
2 ribs celery
1/2 pound raw bacon
1 (2 oz.) jar pimientos
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon Tabasco
Chop everything fine in a food processor. Process until topping is well-blended and holds together.

2 dozen shell oysters or 1 pint oysters, drained
Rock salt

Preheat oven to broil. Lay oysters on the half shell on a bed of rock salt on a metal baking dish with sides. Cover each oyster with 1 tablespoon topping. Or place several oysters in individual scallop shells or metal crab shells. Spread a layer of topping over oysters and place on rock salt. Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat until topping is browned and bubbling, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain off any grease. Serve immediately. Note: Besides natural oyster shells, metal crab shells work best. The topping sits above the edge of the shell and as it cooks, the accumulated fat runs off into the rock salt. If the sides of the baking dish are too high, the grease pools on top of the oysters, and the topping will not get crisp.

Frozen Lemon Pie
(Page 284 of the Pirates’ House Cookbook)

Crust
30 vanilla wafers, crushed
1/2 cup blanched almonds, ground
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
Mix cookie crumbs, ground almonds and almond extract with butter or margarine. This can be done in a food processor. Press into a 9 inch pie pan. Bake at 375° for 8 minutes. Cool on a rack.

Filling
4 eggs, separated
1 (15 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (6 oz.) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
Grated rind of 1 lemon
1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped

Beat egg yolks with a whisk. Add sweetened condensed milk, lemonade and lemon rind and whisk until smooth. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold whipped cream into lemon mixture. Fold lemon mixture into egg whites. Pour into pie crust and freeze 8 hours or overnight. 10 to 15 minutes before serving, remove pie from freezer. Garnish if desired with sweetened whipped cream, twisted lemon slices and maraschino cherries. Serves 8.

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