Louisa Stoney’s Brown Oyster Stew 
with Benne (Sesame) Seed 
4 slices bacon 
1 large onion, sliced 
2 tablespoons flour 
l‘/ 2 cups oyster liquor, approximately 
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, 
parched in a heavy pan on the 
stove until browned 
2 cups shucked oysters 
Cooked rice or hominy 
1. Fry the bacon and onion until 
brown, then remove from the pan 
with a slotted spoon. 
2. Shake the flour into the hot grease 
and stir vigorously until flour is 
brown. 
3. Remove from heat and gradually 
add oyster liquor until the mixture is 
smooth. 
4. Pound the sesame seeds, using mor- 
tar and pestle. 
5. Return flour mixture to heat and stir 
until slightly thickened. Then add 
sesame seeds. 
6. Lastly, add oysters and poach until 
the edges curl. Serve over rice or 
hominy. 
Yield: 6 servings 
Turtle Soup 
1 large or 2 small yellow-bellied 
rice-field turtles ( Pseudemys 
scripta scripta), preferably female 
Salt 
Pepper 
1 teaspoon thyme 
1 large onion, chopped 
1. Butcher turtle as follows: Chop off 
head. Let stand, head end down, un- 
til completely bled. Scald in boiling 
water for 5 minutes. Then crack or 
cut through shell with a hatchet, 
taking care not to damage eggs. Re- 
serve eggs. Cut away the hind quar- 
ters and forequarters, the liver, and 
a strip of white meat adhering to the 
back of the shell. Peel off outer skin 
and discard. 
2. Bring 4 quarts water to a rolling 
boil. Add skinned turtle meat and 
liver, along with seasonings and on- 
ion. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 
hours or until meat begins to fall off 
bones. 
3. Remove the meat and liver with a 
slotted spoon. Pull off bones and dis- 
card. 
4. Chop or grind meat. Chop liver 
roughly. Return meat and liver to 
the soup. Correct seasoning. Return 
to the boil, reduce heat, and add tur- 
tle eggs. Continue cooking for 20 
minutes. 
Yield: 6-8 servings 
Connie Bull’s Jerusalem 
Artichoke Relish 
1 medium cabbage, chopped 
3 quarts Jerusalem artichokes, 
well scrubbed and chopped 
2 large bunches celery, chopped 
1 quart onions, peeled and chopped 
6 bell peppers (preferably 3 green 
and 3 red), seeded, stemmed, 
and finely chopped 
1 large cauliflower 
2 cups salt 
Z 2 cup flour 
6 tablespoons dry mustard 
1 tablespoon allspice 
3-4 cups sugar, to taste 
1 tablespoon turmeric 
1 ‘/ 2 — 2 quarts vinegar 
1. Combine cabbage, Jerusalem arti- 
chokes, celery, onions, and peppers 
in a large crock or bowl. 
2. Break flowerets off cauliflower and 
crumble them. Stir together with 
other vegetables. 
3. Dissolve salt in 1 gallon cold water. 
Pour over vegetables. 
4. Cover with towel and let stand for 
24 hours. 
5. Drain thoroughly. 
6. Combine remaining dry ingredients 
in a bowl, adding just enough vin- 
egar to produce a smooth paste. 
7. Bring unused vinegar to a boil. Stir 
in the paste. Then add vegetables 
and return to the boil. Reduce heat 
and simmer for 20 minutes. 
8. Spoon into sterilized jars while rel- 
ish is still hot and seal immediately. 
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