FISH 719

CRABMEAT CAKES

1 cup finely chopped raw Few grains cayenne pepper
potatoes 2 cups fresh or canned

Ya cup thin cream crabmeat

Y2 teaspoon salt 2 eggs

Put potatoes and cream in top of double boiler and cook over hot water until
tender. Add salt and cayenne, and crabmeat which has been picked over carefully
to remove bits of shell. Add eggs and stir until well mixed. Drop one spoonful at
a time onto hot greased griddle and cook until golden brown on each side. Serves 6.

TO OPEN OYSTERS

Scrub the oyster shells under cold water, using a brush. To open, hold each oyster
with deep half of the shell down. Insert a strong blunt knife between the shells near
the hinge and with a twisting motion pry shell apart. Slip the knife between the shell
and sever the muscle which holds them together. Sever the under muscle holding the
oyster to the shell. Drain and strain the juice to remove any particles of shell. Store
oysters in a tightly covered container in refrigerator until ready to use.

TO PREPARE FRESH SHRIMP

Immerse in boiling salted water (Y%4 cup to each quart of water). Let water
return to boiling point. Simmer small shrimp 5 minutes and large shrimp 8 minutes.
Drain and cool. Peel off shells and with a sharp paring knife cut along outside curv-
ature and lift out sand vein. Wash under cold water and drain.

LOBSTER THERMIDOR

2 tablespoons butter Y2 cup cream or rich milk

2 tablespoons chopped onion Y2 cup chicken stock

Y cup sliced mushrooms Y2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons flour 1 egg yolk

Yq teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon sherry flavoring

Yg teaspoon pepper 2 cups cooked lobster (in pieces)

Yg teaspoon paprika

Saute onions and mushrooms in butter. Blend in flour, salt, pepper and paprika.
Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Remove
from heat and stir in the cream, chicken stock and worcestershire sauce. Bring to boil,
boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add egg yolk, flavoring and lobster. Place mixture
in shell of lobster or individual baking dishes and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons fine
buttered cracker or dry bread crumbs. Parmesan cheese may be mixed with these
crumbs, if desired. Bake 5 minutes at 450 degrees. Serves 6.

HOW TO COOK LIVE CRAB

Plunge live crab into boiling water, to which 1% cup salt for each quart of water
has been added. Cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes. Cool quickly in cold water.

To shell and clean crab, hold crab with left hand, lift top shell from rear and pull
off. Discard the shell and the yellow fat which clings to it. Lift off gill on either side
of back and discard. Turn crab over on its back and break off mouth parts and tail
piece. Turn crab over and scrape out center fat and insides and clean out with cold
water. Hold crab with both hands, crack body shell in half. Shake out the body meat
from each half shell by crushing the shell and knocking it against the edge of a bowl.
Remove any bits of meat that cling to the shell. Break off legs. Pull out the movable
small claw. Holding the legs curved side down to avoid crushing the meat, hit sharply
with a loosely held mallet. Remove meat from shell. Rinse meat in salted water and
drain.