Turn on the TV or radio and all you hear about is South Carolina.
Now, I realize that the presidential primaries are coming up (Republicans on February 20, Democrats on February 27). So all this yakyakyak is not surprising.
And of course, South Carolina has always made news, politically speaking.
For example, do you remember in American History class learning all about South Carolina Senator John C. Calhoun, who was also Secretary of State and Vice-President (under both John Q. Adams AND Jackson), and famous for his fierce advocacy of states' rights, his fierce defense of slavery and his fierce leadership in the secession of southern states from the Union?
Remember Strom Thurmond? The South Carolina Senator who ran for president in 1948 (as a "Dixiecrat" aka States Rights Party) and actually got 39 electoral votes? He switched from Democrat to Republican in 1964 because he opposed the Civil Rights Act (in fact, in an attempt to stop the bill from passing he conducted the longest filibuster in history by a single Senator).
Chris Rock and Steven Colbert -- also from South Carolina, btw.
So all this political talk got me to thinking.
About food.
South Carolina food.
I did some looking and read about a famous South Carolina dish that sounded so delicious I just had to try it. It's called Bog. Basically, it's like a pilaf, or paella, with chicken and sausage. It may be called Bog because the chicken gets bogged down by rice. Some recipes are more soup-y, so maybe it's called bog because it looks boggy.
In any case, the rice absorbs all that fabulous chicken flavor and becomes a golden/amber color (if you've ever cooked chicken and poured the roasting juices over cooked rice -- that's what this tastes like. OHMY it's good.).
I looked at several recipes, then devised my own.
It was awesome!
Is it authentic? Does it taste like Bog that I might be served in South Carolina?
I have no clue, because I never tasted it.
All I can say is -- try it, you'll like it. Big winner.
South Carolina Bog
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Italian style sausages, (about 6-8 ounces), sliced 1/2-inch thick (I used Jack's Gourmet Italian style)
- 16-20 chicken wing sections
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, sliced
- 2-3 sprigs thyme
- 2-1/2 cups chicken stock
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 cup white rice
Heat the olive oil in a large, deep sauté pan over medium heat. Add the sausage pieces and cook, turning the pieces occasionally, for about 4 minutes or until lightly crispy. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside. Working with a few at a time, add the chicken pieces and cook, turning the pieces occasionally, for 6-8 minutes or until lightly browned. Do not crowd the pan. Remove the chicken pieces from the pan and set them aside. Add the onion, garlic and celery to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes or until the vegetables are slightly softened. Return the sausage and chicken to the pan. Add the thyme. Pour in the chicken stock. Bring the stock to a simmer. Cover the pan and cook for 15 minutes. Add the rice, stir it into the liquid and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Cover the pan and cook for about 25 minutes or until the rice is tender.
Makes 4 servings