Lowcountry Boil

Get ready to get messy. If you live along the southeastern coast, specifically the Low Country, you're probably familiar with this dish. It is a summer tradition. It is akin to the hot dogs, hamburgers, and potato salad of the Midwest and it is simple. Invite about six friends over, break out your crab-crackers and cocktail sauce, and strap on a bib; eating this is a sport.

The base:

In a large Dutch oven, brown some chopped onions in olive oil. Add garlic, peppercorns, chopped tomatoes (fresh or canned), small new or fingerling potatoes, a bay leaf and some Old Bay or Cajun seasoning.

Cover and simmer on low heat until potatoes soften.

Now the good stuff; the seafood triumvirate.

With about ten minutes to go, jack up the heat, add the following, give a quick stir, and steam.

Crab: true veterans of this dish will insist on whole, local blue crabs. I find these to be too much work for too little reward. Go straight for King Crab legs.

Shrimp: a couple of pounds, shell on. If you want to get really authentic and super cheap, grab these off the boat or catch them yourself.

The Wild Card: this one is up to you. Lobster tails, mussels, even chunks of fish.

Top with a few broken ears of corn and cover.

This dish is best eaten outside. Cover a table with newspaper, dump it all out, lightly season and dive in. Plenty of napkins and cocktail sauce are necessary at this point. Wash down with a delicious Lager (or four).