Seeking the South

A modern-day Southern cookbook that celebrates the region's growing diversity, from chef and restaurateur Rob Newton.

"There's no genre of American cuisine as storied as Southern," says Rob Newton. In his debut cookbook, Newton brings to life the regional distinctions and new influences that make up the changing face of Southern cuisine--a category of cooking as cutting-edge as any other in the world. As Southern regions' demographics shift and food cultures bump up against one another, Chef Newton reveals just how diverse Southern cuisine really is.

As Newton explains, the pork and beans he grew up eating in the mountains of the Ozarks is very different from the shellfish-heavy food of the Lowcountry or the Cajun-influenced fare along the Gulf Coast. And though often overlooked, historically underrecognized populations have constantly reimagined what the Southern table looks like with their culinary contributions: Enslaved African cooks perfected fried chicken, Middle Eastern communities helped introduce spices such as sumac to the Mississippi Delta, and Korean and Mexican immigrants continue to reinvent the grilled meats and pickled vegetables that Southerners know and love.

In Seeking the South, Newton brings his unique perspective to show readers there's much more to the food below the Mason-Dixon Line than meets the eye. Crisscrossing the South (the Upper and Deep South, Gulf Coast, Coastal Plains and Piedmont, and Lowcountry and Southeast Coast), Newton shares more than 125 recipes as old and familiar as Pork Hocks with Hominy, and as current as Okra with Sichuan Peppercorn and Black-Eyed Pea Falafel. To Newton, Southern cuisine delights because it is delicious and, above all, endlessly dynamic. In this cookbook, he brings this exciting evolution of flavors to your table.Rob Newton is a chef and restaurateur. Raised in Arkansas, Newton worked in some of New York's top restaurants before opening his own, Seersucker, Nightingale Nine, and Black Walnut in Brooklyn. He resides in Nashville, where he is the executive chef at Gray & Dudley.Roasted Oysters with Lemon and Garlic Butter Sauce

Serves 4 to 6

A Lowcountry oyster roast is a beautiful thing—a big outdoor party in which dozens of oysters are cooked on a metal tray over an open flame, then shoveled out onto a table and rapidly consumed by a standing-room crowd. Lemon juice, hot sauce, and saltines are the traditional accompaniments, along with beer and butter, and it turns out that’s a classic combination for a reason. I see no reason to mess with what works, though I do like to infuse my butter with a little bit of extra flavor.

Ideally, you’ll have a fire pit of some sort to cook the oysters, though a charcoal or gas grill on high will work in a pinch. Keep it casual and encourage hands-only eating by supplying gloves and knives to pry the oysters all the way open once they come off the flame.

Depending on how you’re serving, you can stand around the fire and keep the sauce warm nearby the fire (or the stovetop), or keep the sauce in the middle of the table and reheat as necessary. Either way, stir the sauce often, as it will separate quickly.

   • Grated zest and juice (at least 3 tablespoons) of 1 lemon
   • ½ teaspoon sugar
   • ½ to 1 teaspoon kosher salt
   • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
   • ½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter
   • 1 heaping teaspoon diced shallot
   • 1 heaping teaspoon finely chopped garlic
   • 36 oysters, extremely clean
   • Saltines, for serving
   • Hot sauce, for serving

A sheet of metal over an open fire works for a traditional oyster roast. Or start a fire in your grill according to instructions, using your choice of wood, charcoal, or both. Heating a gas grill to high will get the job done as well.

In a bowl, combine the lemon juice, sugar, kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir well and allow to sit for 1 minute for the sugar and salt to dissolve. In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and stir in the shallot, garlic, and lemon zest. Add the juice mixture to the butter, increase the heat to medium, and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, but don’t allow the sauce to boil. Remove from the heat and set aside somewhere warm.

Grill the oysters, turning occasionally, as they will begin to open as the steam inside heats up, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the oysters from the heat as soon as they start to open, then fully open them with an oyster knife. Drizzle the butter sauce over the tops and serve with saltines and hot sauce.