Woman's Institute Library of Cookery
Chapter 88 : As in the case of oysters, they may be eaten raw or cooked. Their preparation for cooki

As in the case of oysters, they may be eaten raw or cooked. Their preparation for cooking is similar to that of oysters. In the raw state, they are easily digested, but upon the application of heat they become tough, and the longer they are cooked, the tougher they become. It can therefore be seen that the digestibility of clams is influenced very much by cooking.

100. OPENING CLAMS.--If clams are to be opened in the home, the method ill.u.s.trated in Fig. 30 may be employed. First wash the clams to remove the sand, and then place a clam on a hard surface so that the pointed edge is up. Insert the thin edge of a knife into the very slight groove between the sh.e.l.ls, or valves, and with a heavy utensil of some kind strike the top of the knife several times so as to separate the valves.

Then, as in opening oysters, spread the sh.e.l.ls apart, as shown, and loosen the clam from the sh.e.l.l it adheres to.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 30]

101. RAW CLAMS.--Like oysters, raw clams are generally served as a c.o.c.ktail, or an appetizer, at the beginning of a meal. If they are to be served in the half sh.e.l.l, place them in a dish of cracked ice; if they are to be served without the sh.e.l.ls, place the required number in a stemmed gla.s.s that is set in a dish of cracked ice. In either case, lemon or a suitable sauce, or both, should be supplied.

102. STEAMED CLAMS.--Steaming is the method generally adopted when clams in large numbers are cooked for a "clam bake," but there is no reason why it cannot be used by the housewife when she wishes to cook only enough for her family. When large quant.i.ties are to be steamed, use is generally made of a steamer, but the housewife will find that she can steam a few clams very satisfactorily in a saucepan or a similar vessel.

To prepare steamed clams, scrub the sh.e.l.ls of the clams until they are perfectly clean. Place the desired number thus cleaned in a saucepan and add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan about 1 inch. Allow this to cook until the sh.e.l.ls of the clams open. Remove the clams from the pan and serve them in the sh.e.l.ls. Provide each person with a small dish of melted b.u.t.ter into which to dip the clams as they are removed from the sh.e.l.ls to be eaten. The liquid found in the clams may be poured from the sh.e.l.l before the clams are served, and after being well seasoned may be served as clam broth.

103. BAKED CLAMS.--Another very appetizing way in which to prepare clams is to combine them with bread crumbs, season them well, and then bake them until they are well browned. Select several good-sized clams for each person to be served. Scrub the sh.e.l.ls well and open them. Remove the clams and chop them into small pieces. To each cupful of chopped clams, add 2 cupfuls of b.u.t.tered bread crumbs, 1 tablespoonful of chopped parsley, 1 tablespoonful of chopped pimiento, and 1 tablespoonful of onion juice. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and fill the sh.e.l.ls with it. Place these in a shallow pan and bake in a very hot oven until the crumbs are well browned on top. Serve hot.

104. FRIED CLAMS.--As oysters make a very desirable dish when fried in deep fat, so clams may be treated in this way, too. Remove the desired number of clams from the sh.e.l.ls, wash them thoroughly, and dry them on a clean towel. Dip them into beaten egg, and finally into the crumbs. Fry in deep fat until they are a golden brown. Serve with slices of lemon.

SCALLOPS AND THEIR PREPARATION

105. NATURE OF SCALLOPS.--Scallops, which are another form of bivalves, are less commonly used for food than oysters and clams. Scalloped dishes get their name from the fact that scallop sh.e.l.ls were originally used for their preparation. Not all of the scallop is used for food; merely the heavy muscle that holds the two sh.e.l.ls together is edible. Scallops are slightly higher in protein than oysters and clams and they also have a higher food value than these two mollusks. The most common method of preparation for scallops is to fry them, but they may also be baked in the sh.e.l.ls.

106. FRIED SCALLOPS.--If scallops are properly fried, they make an appetizing dish. As they are a rather bland food, a sauce of some kind, preferably a sour one, is generally served with them.

Select the desired number of scallops and wash thoroughly. Dip first into either fine bread crumbs or cracker crumbs, then into beaten egg, and again into the crumbs. Fry in deep fat until a golden brown, remove, and drain. Serve with lemon or a sour sauce, such as horseradish or tomato sauce.

107. BAKED SCALLOPS.--If a tasty as well as a slightly unusual dish is desired to give variety to the diet, baked scallops will undoubtedly find favor. As shown in the accompanying recipe, mushrooms are one of the ingredients in baked scallops and these not only provide additional material, but improve the flavor.

To prepare baked scallops, clean the desired number, parboil for 15 minutes, drain, and cut into small pieces. For each cupful of scallops, melt 2 tablespoonfuls of b.u.t.ter in a frying pan, saute in it 1 tablespoonful of chopped onion, and add 1/2 cupful of chopped mushrooms.

When these have browned, add 2 tablespoonfuls of flour and 1 cupful of milk. Cook until thick and then add the scallops. Fill the scallop sh.e.l.ls with the mixture, sprinkle with b.u.t.tered bread crumbs, place in the oven, and bake until the crumbs are brown.

LOBSTERS, CRABS, AND SHRIMP

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

108. The sh.e.l.l fish, LOBSTERS, CRABS, and SHRIMP, come under the head of crustaceans; that is, animals consisting of jointed sections, each of which is covered with a hard sh.e.l.l. Their flesh is similar in composition to that of other fish, but it is tougher and harder to digest. However, it is popular because of its unique and delicate flavor. In fact, whenever these varieties of fish can be obtained along the seacoast or within a reasonable distance from the place where they are caught, they are considered a delicacy. If they can be s.h.i.+pped alive to any point, they are perfectly safe to use, although quite high in price because of their perishable nature.

109. Unless such sh.e.l.l fish can be procured alive in the markets, the use of a good brand of any of them canned is recommended. In fact, canned lobster, crab, and shrimp are very satisfactory and may be subst.i.tuted for any of the fresh cooked varieties in the recipes that follow. It is true that some persons object to canned food because ptomaine poisoning sometimes results, but it has been found that ptomaine poisoning is more liable to result from eating these foods when they are bought in the market in poor condition than when they are secured in canned form. Care must be exercised, however, whenever use is made of canned food of any kind. Upon opening a can of any of these varieties of fish, the entire contents should be removed from the can at once and used as soon as possible. It must be remembered that the ptomaine poisoning that is sometimes caused by eating canned foods is not due to the fact that the foods come in tin cans, but that they are allowed to stand in the cans after they are opened. Upon their being exposed to the air, putrefaction sets in and causes the harmful effect.

110. Lobsters, crabs, and shrimp are very similar in composition, shrimp being slightly higher in protein and total food value than the others.

If they are not prepared in an indigestible way, they are comparatively easy to digest. It has been proved a fallacy that lobster and ice cream are a dangerous combination, for if both are in good condition they may be combined with no ill effects to the normal individual.

LOBSTERS AND THEIR PREPARATION

111. DISTINGUIs.h.i.+NG FEATURES.--Of these three types of sea food, lobsters are perhaps the most popular. They are found along the North Atlantic and North Pacific seacoasts. Alive, they are mottled bluish-green in color, but upon being cooked they change to bright red.

As soon as they are caught, many of them are packed in ice and s.h.i.+pped alive to various points, while others are plunged immediately into boiling water and sold cooked. A live lobster ready for cooking is shown in Fig. 31. Lobsters vary greatly in size. Only those 9 inches or more in length can be sold, the smaller ones being thrown back into the water. When they are purchased either raw or cooked, they should be heavy for their size; that is, they should be heavy because of their plumpness and good condition.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 31]

112. PRELIMINARY PREPARATION.--To prepare a lobster, which should be alive, grasp it firmly by the back, as shown in Fig. 32, plunge it quickly, head first, into a kettle of rapidly boiling water, and then submerge the rest of the body. Be sure to have a sufficient amount of water to cover the lobster completely. Boil rapidly for 5 minutes; then lower the flame or remove to a cooler part of the stove and cook slowly for 1/2 hour. Remove from the water and allow to cool.

After being prepared in this way, a lobster may be served cold or it may be used in the preparation of various made dishes. If it is to be used without further preparation, it is often served from the sh.e.l.l, which is usually split open. Mayonnaise or some other sauce is generally served with lobster. The flesh is removed from the sh.e.l.l with a small fork as it is eaten.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 32]

113. REMOVING LOBSTER FROM THE Sh.e.l.l.--The majority of the dishes made from lobster require that the flesh be removed from the sh.e.l.l. To do this, first pull off the two large claws and the four pairs of small claws, as shown in Fig. 33, and break the tail from the body.

Then with scissors, as in Fig. 34, cut a single slit the entire length of the sh.e.l.l covering the under part of the tail and remove the flesh inside the tail in a whole, large piece, as shown in Fig. 35. The intestinal tract, which can be readily observed, will be found embedded in this piece and running the entire length. Slash the flesh and remove it. Next remove the flesh of the body from the sh.e.l.l, retaining only that part which appears to be fibrous, like the flesh of the tail. The stomach, which is called "the lady" because its inside appearance closely resembles a lady sitting in a chair, should not be removed from the sh.e.l.l. However, care should be taken to obtain all the flesh surrounding the bones in the bony part of the lobster. The coral substance, that is, the roe of the lobster, should also be removed, as it can be used for a garnish.

[Ill.u.s.tration FIG. 33]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 34]

With the flesh removed from the sh.e.l.l, proceed to take out that contained in the claws. Break open the large claws, using a nut cracker or a small hammer for this purpose, and, as in Fig. 36, remove the flesh that they contain. If the small claws are to be used for a garnish, as is often done, remove the flesh without breaking them; otherwise break them as in the case of the large ones.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 35]

114. LOBSTER c.o.c.kTAIL.--Practically all varieties of sh.e.l.l fish make most satisfactory c.o.c.ktails, and lobster is no exception. To make a lobster c.o.c.ktail, shred or cut into small pieces the flesh of a lobster that has been prepared according to the directions just given. Chill the shreds or pieces and then serve them in stemmed c.o.c.ktail gla.s.ses with any desirable c.o.c.ktail sauce.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 36]

115. SCALLOPED LOBSTER.--Persons who care for the flavor of lobster will find scalloped lobster a very attractive dish. When prepared in this way, it is suitable either for luncheon or for dinner.

SCALLOPED LOBSTER (Sufficient to Serve Six)

1 c. lobster meat 1 c. medium white sauce 2/3 c. b.u.t.tered bread crumbs 1 hard-cooked egg Salt Pepper

Mix the lobster with the medium white sauce. b.u.t.ter a baking dish, place half of the crumbs in the bottom, and pour over them the lobster and white sauce. Slice the hard-cooked egg over the top of the lobster, season the whole well with salt and pepper, and sprinkle the remainder of the crumbs over the top. Place in a hot oven and bake until the crumbs are brown. Garnish with sprays of parsley and serve at once.

116. DEVILED LOBSTER.--A dish that is delicious and at the same time very attractive is deviled lobster. After removing the flesh from the sh.e.l.l, the sh.e.l.l should be cleaned thoroughly, as it is to be used as a receptacle in which to put the lobster mixture for baking. When removed from the oven, this dish can be made more attractive by garnis.h.i.+ng it with the lobster claws and tail.

DEVILED LOBSTER (Sufficient to Serve Six)

1 Tb. chopped onion 2 Tb. b.u.t.ter 2 Tb. flour 1 tsp. salt Dash of Cayenne pepper 1/8 tsp. paprika 1/8 tsp. pepper 1 Tb. lemon juice 1 Tb. chopped parsley 1 c. milk 2 c. lobster meat 1/4 c. b.u.t.tered cracker crumbs

Saute the onion in the b.u.t.ter, and to this add the flour, salt, Cayenne pepper, paprika, pepper, lemon juice, and parsley. Mix well and add the milk. When the whole has cooked until it is thick, add the lobster. Pour the mixture into the clean sh.e.l.l of the lobster, sprinkle with cracker crumbs, and place in the oven long enough to brown the crumbs. Remove from the oven, place on a serving dish, garnish with the claws and tail of the lobster, if desired, and serve at once.

117. LOBSTER a LA NEWBURG.--When lobster a la Newburg is mentioned, one naturally thinks of a chafing dish, for this is one of the dishes that is very often made in a chafing dish and served at small social gatherings. However, it can be made just as satisfactorily on the kitchen stove and is a dish suitable for a home luncheon or small dinner.

LOBSTER a LA NEWBURG (Sufficient to Serve Six)

2 Tb. b.u.t.ter 1 Tb. flour 2 c. lobster 1/2 tsp. salt Few grains of Cayenne pepper 1/2 c. milk 1/2 c. thin cream 1 tsp. vinegar 1 Tb. lemon juice 2 egg yolks

Melt the b.u.t.ter in a saucepan, add the flour, and into this pour the lobster meat cut into rather large pieces. Add the salt, pepper, milk, and cream; cook together until thick, and then pour in the vinegar and lemon juice. Beat the egg yolks and stir them into the cooked mixture, using care to prevent them from curdling. When the mixture has thickened, remove from the stove and serve over toast.

118. LOBSTER CROQUETTES.--Probably the most attractive dish that can be made out of lobster is the one explained in the accompanying recipe. As this is artistically garnished, and at the same time extremely appetizing, it is suitable for a meal that is intended to be very nice, such as a dainty luncheon. If the elaborate garnis.h.i.+ng here suggested is not desired, the croquettes may be served with merely a suitable sauce.

LOBSTER CROQUETTES (Sufficient to Serve Six)