A Southern Twist on a Lobster Roll
By the editors of Garden & Gun
Photographs by Andrew Cebulka
Every few months, it seems, another Charleston, South Carolina, chef opens a buzzed-about new spot downtown. Jacques Larson isn’t all that eager to push his way in. A veteran of several downtown establishments, he now cooks on the fringes of town at the rustic Johns Island restaurant Wild Olive and at the brand-new Obstinate Daughter, wedged between the grand old beach houses on Sullivan’s Island. Just blocks from the Atlantic, the Obstinate Daughter takes some cues from the Italian menu at its sister restaurant, but even more from its surroundings. “First and foremost, it’s a Southern restaurant,” Larson says. “We’re borrowing from Italian cuisine, but the menu is rooted in local produce.”
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That means pastas and wood-fired pizzas topped with Lowcountry mushrooms, clams, and greens; South Carolina oysters with ramekins of scuppernong mignonette; and North Carolina squid stuffed with house-made chorizo. And the chalkboard displays more than just the day’s specials. Larson and his cooks use it to sell fresh-off-the-boat ingredients that might only last through a couple of tables. “What goes on the board doesn’t have to be a daily item,” he says. “It can be an hourly item. If somebody drops off twelve pounds of stone crab claw, I can put that up for four hours. And then it’s over, and the next item goes up.”
Sample the Obstinate Daughter’s menu at home with a tray of Larson’s superlative shrimp rolls. For best results, pair them with fresh-cut french fries and a pitcher of sweet tea.
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Lowcountry Shrimp Rolls
From Jacques Larson, the Obstinate Daughter, Sullivan’s Island, SC
Makes 4 rolls
1½ lbs. poached shrimp (recipe below)
½ cup garlic aioli (recipe below)
1 tbsp. mint leaves, chopped
2 tbsp. celery leaves, chopped
2 tbsp. chives, chopped, plus more to garnish
4 split-top rolls or hot dog buns
Combine shrimp, aioli, mint leaves, celery leaves, and chives together in a bowl, and stir until the shrimp is coated. Toast the rolls and divide the shrimp salad between them. Garnish with chopped chives and serve.
Poached shrimp
2 tbsp. Old Bay
3 bay leaves
1 tbsp. whole black peppercorns
3 tbsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 cups white wine
2 whole lemons
1½ lbs. shrimp, peeled and deveined
Combine Old Bay, bay leaves, peppercorns, salt, red pepper flakes, wine, and 6 cups water in a thick-bottomed pot. Cut the lemons in half and squeeze the juice into the pot. Place the mixture on the stove over medium-high heat and bring it to a simmer. Then drop the shrimp into the poaching liquid and simmer for several minutes or until just cooked through. Using a skimmer, remove the shrimp, and place them in the refrigerator to cool. Discard the poaching liquid.
Garlic Aioli
1 egg yolk
½ tsp. garlic, chopped
1½ tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1½ cups vegetable oil
Combine first 5 ingredients in a food processor; whip on high until just foamy. Slowly drizzle in oil until the mixture looks like mayonnaise, and then add ¼ cup of water to thin it slightly. Check seasoning and add more salt if needed.
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