I was filling and rolling tang yuan (a traditional glutinous rice dumpling) with one of my cooks.
I don't think enough people acknowledge Ms. Erwin and the legacy she's created.To me, she's a representation of Lowcountry and Gullah Geechee life and how it looks outside of the scope of the South.
People get fixated on Charleston or Savannah or maybe one of the islands they know of, but forget that like Blackness, being Gullah Geechee isn't a monolith.People left and migrated and moved around and still carried on the traditions and culture and somehow she gets left out of the conversation in this recent resurgence of people acknowledging and "loving" the culture.I think her food specifically also shows the nuances in our culture.
I often get asked, "What's a traditional Gullah Geechee meal?"and what does that even mean?
We aren't just rice and grits and shrimp, we aren't just one-pot dishes and whatever else.
People tend to love nostalgia and even food media gets caught up in it and loses focus that the food changes with the people but the roots stay the same.Add asparagus and crushed red pepper, and cook, stirring, until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add wine, and cook, scraping up any browned bits from the pan, until liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes.. Add pasta, heavy cream, lemon juice, and reserved 1/2 cup cooking liquid to pan.Reduce heat to medium, and cook, tossing, until pasta is lightly coated, about 2 minutes.
Season to taste with salt and black pepper.Transfer to 6 shallow bowls, and serve immediately with shaved ricotta salata.. Make Ahead.