THIS IS NOT ONLY ONE OF THE MOST UNUSUAL BUT also one of the oldest antebellum stew recipes in the South Carolina Lowcountry repertory. I first read about the dish in a book that related tales about the food served on the old rice plantations between Georgetown and Charleston, but the author never revealed the name of the plantation at which it was served. Was it Bellefield, Arcadia, Waverly, Litchfield, or another of the surviving estates that I’ve been visiting since I was a child? No matter, for none other than Louis Osteen, the chef at Louis’s on Pawleys Island, also knew about this dish and came up with a brilliant modern interpretation, which we discussed in detail. Louis includes pancetta in his recipe, but since I feel that
cured Italian bacon detracts from the stew’s authenticity, I use what was surely used in the old plantation kitchen: namely, salt pork.

Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1⁄4 cup benne (sesame) seeds
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 1 ounce salt pork, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons finely minced onion
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 24 small fresh oysters, with the liquor reserved
• 1 3⁄4 cups bottled clam juice
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 1⁄4 cups heavy cream, warmed
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chervil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a small, heavy skillet, dry-roast the benne seeds over moderate heat till they become dark, stirring often to avoid burning them.
2. Transfer the seeds to a cutting board and roughly crush half of them with a spoon. Reserve the crushed seeds separately from the whole seeds.
3. In a large, heavy saucepan, heat the peanut oil over moderate heat.
4. Add the salt pork and fry till lightly browned and crisp. Drain the salt pork on paper towels.
5. Add the minced onion and crushed benne seeds to the pan. Stir and cook until the onion browns slightly, about 3 minutes.
6. Add the all-purpose flour to the pan, stir, and cook for 2 minutes longer.
7. Add the reserved oyster liquor, clam juice, and chopped fresh thyme to the pan. Whisk the mixture for 2 minutes.
8. Add the warmed heavy cream to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes.
9. Add the fresh oysters, whole benne seeds, fresh lime juice, sesame oil, chopped fresh chervil, and salt and pepper to the pan.
10. Leave the pan on the heat till the oysters just begin to curl, about 4 minutes.
11. Remove the pan from the heat.
12. Ladle the stew into soup bowls.
13. Sprinkle crisp salt pork over each portion.
14. Serve the stew piping hot.