If you are entertaining with a luncheon during Lent, or on any day wish to serve a delightful seafood meal, you will give the recipes below more than a passing glance.
You will, indeed, get out the scissors at once and clip them for your kitchen files.
All persons who like good food are guaranteed to "go" for any of the dishes listed.
The scalloped lobster and minced clams take little time to prepare.
You fill shells with the seafood and top with bread crumbs, and ten minutes before serving place them in the oven.
While they are baking, the hostess can fit down with her guests and enjoy the first course - fruit cup or fruit or vegetable juice - in leisurely fashion.
For a party touch, you will like hot fried shrimp served in shells with individual servings of shrimp sauce (tomato catsup with a dot of hot prepared mustard) in lemon baskets.
Dip shrimp into sauce and eat.
Another "fish day" delicacy is scalloped crab.
It may be baked and served from a casserole, individual ramekins or shells, if desired.
Seafood becomes more popular every year since quick transportation and Quick-freezing make it available in many districts far removed from salt water.
Also, widespread knowledge of its healthful effect has increased appreciation on this score, in addition to its popularity based on taste alone.
Scalloped Lobster 1.
5 cups lobster, canned or boiled 1 cup thin cream 1/2 cup soft bread crumbs 1 egg, slightly beaten 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper 1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon butter 1/2 cup buttered crumbs Cut lobster in 1/2-inch pieces.
Heat with cream and crumbs almost to boiling.
Stir into the slightly beaten egg.
Add salt and pepper.
Cook over hot water about 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add seasonings and butter.
Pour into shells.
Top with buttered crumbs.
Bake in moderately hot oven (375 degrees F.
) 10 minutes.
Serves 4.
Scalloped Minced Clams 1.
5 cups minced clams 1 egg 1 teaspoon finely cut onion or onion juice 1 tablespoon lemon juice Salt Pepper 1.
5 cups buttered bread crumbs Mix clams, slightly beaten egg, onion, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Place layer of buttered crumbs in shells.
Cover with clam mixture.
Top with remaining crumbs.
Bake in moderately hot oven (375 degrees F.
) 10 minutes.
Serves 4.
Fried Shrimp 1/2 cup flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt Pepper 1 egg 1/3 cup milk Shrimp, fresh boiled or canned Mix and sift dry ingredients.
Beat egg.
Add milk to egg and beat, and through add to dry ingredients.
Beat until smooth.
Dip the shrimp in batter.
(Be sure each shrimp is thoroughly dry before dipping, otherwise batter will not.
cling.
) Fry in deep fat hot enough to brown a cube of bread in 60 seconds (375 degrees F.
).
Turn once to brown shrimp evenly Drain on paper.
Serve hot in shells with individual servings of shrimp sauce in lemon baskets.
(Shrimp sauce is simply tomato catsup with a dot of "hot" prepared mustard.
) Shrimp is dipped into sauce and eaten.
Scalloped Crab 4 tablespoons butter 4 tablespoons flour 2 cups light cream or top milk 1/2 teaspoon salt Dash each, pepper, Cayenne and paprika 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped 2 cups crab, cut in 1/2-inch pieces 1/4 cup soft buttered crumbs Melt butter in saucepan, add flour, and stir to smooth paste.
Add cream and cook until thickened, stirring constantly.
Add seasonings, Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 of parsley, and fish.
Pour into well-greased casserole.
Sprinkle crumbs and remaining parsley over top.
Bake in moderate oven (350 degrees F.
) 20 minutes, or until crumbs are browned.
Makes 6 small or 4 generous servings.
May also be baked in individual ramekins or in shells.
Other Party Ideas Serve hot fried scallops in shells as suggested for fried shrimp with tartar sauce in lemon baskets.
Dip scallops into sauce and eat.
Serve fried pieces of lobster in same manner with the same sauce.
Or sauteed scallops with chopped parsley garnish on toast with chopped parsley garnish on toast with lemon.
A fine dinner main course consists of creamed shrimp inside a ring of rice, decorated with broiled tomato slices and broccoli.