Many years ago when I returned to Columbia to live I attended the Franklinton Fair. As I walked into the Fairground I passed several frame structures. Incredible aromas were wafting from these buildings. On closer investigation I found these buildings to be kitchen/food stalls. Among other things they were serving several dishes made with crawfish, gumbo, fried alligator, fried shrimp, fried oysters, stuffed artichokes and something I'd never heard of: Shrimp and White Beans. I had to investigate.
I located the building selling Shrimp and White Beans. The title on the building was "Schexnayder's Acadian Foods Booth.” Listed for sale on a small menu posted on the building were Jambalaya, Gumbo, Etouffee, Seafood Pasta, Smoked Turkey Legs, White Beans with Shrimp, Crawfish Pies, Shrimp Remoulade Salad, Hogshead Cheese and Italian Olive Salad with Shrimp & Crab.
I stood in line to get a styrofoam cup filled with rice and a creamy steaming-hot mixture of white navy beans, onions, garlic and shrimp. A dash of hot sauce perfected this dish.
Oh, my.
I had never eaten any beans that tasted like these. There were layers of flavor beginning with the earthiness of the beans, the gentle heat of garlic, the sweetness of long-cooked onions and finally bits of shrimpy goodness. Goodness gracious, why hadn’t I ever had these scrumptious beans before?
It was a simple case of using what was at hand. Living inland we had ready access to beef and pork. On the other hand, my friend, Melissa, grew up in Buras, Louisiana. Her father was a shrimper and fisherman. Melissa said that she and her siblings often grew tired of eating shrimp, shrimp, shrimp. When we who lived inland had beef stew, her mother made shrimp stew. As an adult, she would rather eat almost anything but shrimp, while we view shrimp as a treat. I would imagine that some enterprising cook in that part of the country used shrimp rather than ham hock in cooking beans because that was the ingredient handy. In researching this recipe further, I found a similar dish of beans and shrimp on the western coast of Mexico, another case of using ingredients readily at hand.
I became so enamored of these beans that I made a three-year effort to perfect the taste of the Franklinton Fair White Beans and Shrimp. Each year I would buy a quantity of these beans, bring them home and try to memorize the taste, then replicate it.
The recipe has only a few musts to have a superior dish. First, begin with dried beans, soaked, then cooked. Use plenty of seasoning to infuse great tastes into the usually bland bean.
Lastly, always add the shrimp raw at the last minute. This keeps the shrimp from getting rubbery.
Having a recipe for White Beans and Shrimp will make this wonderful meal available after the fair is long over.
White Beans and Shrimp
• 1 pound dried white great northern beans
• 1 pound (50–60 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined - save shells for stock if you are so inclined
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups diced onions
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup diced green bell peppers
• 6 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions
• 2 tsp. dried whole thyme
• seafood stock, chicken stock or water (see method)
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• Creole seasoning to taste - be careful not to over salt, because Creole season is salty
• granulated garlic to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste
Soak beans for 24 hours in cold water. Drain beans and rinse in cold water. In a 4-quart stockpot, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery, bell peppers, garlic and saute 5–10 minutes or until vegetables are wilted. Stir in beans. Cook 2–3 minutes then pour in enough stock or water to cover beans by at least 2 inches. Bring to a rolling boil and allow to cook 30 minutes, stirring often to avoid scorching. Watch carefully to maintain the liquid level. Add stock or water one cup at a time if the level runs low. Reduce heat to simmer and cook 1 hour or until beans are tender. Stir occasionally, as beans will settle to bottom of pot as they cook. Stir in chopped parsley. Season to taste with salt, black pepper and granulated garlic. Using the back of a metal spoon, mash approximately 1/3 of the beans against side of pot to create a creamy effect. Add shrimp and stir well. Once the shrimp are opaque, and the beans are tender and creamy, they are ready to be served. Serve over rice, sprinkle with green onions before serving. For maximum flavor, this dish should be cooked 1 day before serving. n
Fran Ginn is former chef/owner of The Back Door Café, who retired after 31 years in the food industry to be a grandmother. She can be contacted at fran@franginn.com.
