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.