Limpin’ Susan — a classic seafood dish

The latest issue of Food Network magazine (October 2022) included this recipe from Kardea Brown for a classic seafood dish referred to as Limpin’ Susan. Although I’d never heard of this centuries old West African dish, named after a disabled street vendor in Charleston SC, I thought it would be a new way to use our overabundance of okra. Barry and I both gave the dish a thumbs up and I’ll definitely make it again!  I did cut it in half for just the two of us. 

Limpin’ Susan     Serves 4 

3 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into strips

2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined 

2 tablespoons unsalted butter 

3 tablespoons vegetable oil 

1 yellow onion, diced 

2 cloves garlic, minced 

2 cups sliced fresh okra or thawed from frozen 

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 

1 cup long-grain white rice 

2 cups chicken stock or broth

1 teaspoon kosher salt 

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

1. In a skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the bacon to drain on paper towels. 
2. Add the shrimp to the bacon fat and cook until just barely seared, about 4 minutes. Remove to a separate plate. 
3. Melt the butter in the skillet over medium heat and add the oil. Stir in the onion and garlic. Cook until starting to soften, 2 to 3 minutes, then add the okra to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice (this will help cut the slime). 
   
4. Stir in the rice and sauté until the onion is lightly browned, about 3 minutes more. Add chicken stock, salt and pepper and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to loosen any browned bits in the bottom of the skillet. 
   
5. Reduce the heat to low and add the shrimp back to the skillet. Cover and cook until the rice is tender and cooked through, about 20 minutes. (I cooked mine a little longer and added a bit more liquid in order to make sure the rice was tender.)
6. During the last 5 minutes of cooking time, use a fork to stir the bacon into the rice. 
7. Fluff and serve.

Recipe without photos . . .

Limpin' Susan    Serves 4 

3 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into strips

2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined 

2 tablespoons unsalted butter 

3 tablespoons vegetable oil 

1 yellow onion, diced 

2 cloves garlic, minced 

2 cups sliced fresh okra or thawed from frozen 

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 

1 cup long-grain white rice 

2 cups chicken stock or broth

1 teaspoon kosher salt 

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

1. In a skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the bacon to drain on paper towels. 
2. Add the shrimp to the bacon fat and cook until just barely seared, about 4 minutes. Remove to a separate plate. 
3. Melt the butter in the skillet over medium heat and add the oil. Stir in the onion and garlic. Cook until starting to soften, 2 to 3 minutes, then add the okra to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice (this will help cut the slime). 
4. Stir in the rice and sauté until the onion is lightly browned, about 3 minutes more. Add chicken stock, salt and pepper and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to loosen any browned bits in the bottom of the skillet. 
5. Reduce the heat to low and add the shrimp back to the skillet. Cover and cook until the rice is tender and cooked through, about 20 minutes. (I cooked mine a little longer and added a bit more liquid in order to make sure the rice was tender.)
6. During the last 5 minutes of cooking time, use a fork to stir the bacon into the rice. 
7. Fluff and serve.