GENERAL METHODS AND RECIPES
General directions.—All fish and shellfish should be thoroughly cleansed in cold water before using, and under running water when possible. Wash oysters, clams, and scallops in a colander or strainer under the faucet. If the oyster or clam liquor is used, put it through a fine strainer.
1. To serve oysters and small clams raw.
Arrange on finely chopped ice on a plate, with a piece of lemon in the center. Cut a section of lemon, not a slice. Horse-radish is sometimes served with the raw oyster. Garnish with parsley if you wish.
2. Creamed oysters.
Clean oysters of all pieces of shell. Cook them below the boiling point for a few minutes until plump and edges begin to curl. Drain and add to white sauce seasoned with celery salt. Serve on toast, in bread cases, or patty shells.
3. Sautéd oysters.
Clean one pint of oysters, sprinkle on both sides with salt and pepper. Lift by the tough muscle with a fork and dip on both sides in cracker crumbs and sauté in butter until well browned on both sides.
4. Clam chowder.
Proportions.
| Clams | 1 | quart |
| Potatoes | 4 | cups, cut in 3⁄4 inch dice |
| Onion | One, | chopped |
| Salt | 1 | tablespoonful |
| Pepper | 1⁄8 | teaspoonful |
| Butter | 4 | tablespoonfuls |
| Milk | 6 | cups, scalded |
| Soda Crackers |
Clean and pick over clams, separate the hard and soft part of clams and chop the former. Strain clam liquor through cheesecloth. Try out the pork and fry the onion in it until brown and turn into a large kettle. Boil potatoes until tender, drain, and pour potatoes into kettle. Add clams, milk, butter, and crackers broken into small pieces. Let cook three minutes. Just before serving add clam liquor previously heated. Serve in bowls.
5. To prepare lobster and crabs for serving.
Make ready a large kettle of rapidly boiling water. Wrap a piece of paper around the lobster or crab, and plunge it head downward into the boiling water. Let the water boil gently for 20 minutes—longer if the lobsters are very large.
To open, a strong pair of scissors is the best utensil and sometimes a hammer is necessary for the heavy claws. Pull out the flesh, keeping it as whole as possible. The stomach of the lobster and crab should be taken out and can be recognized near the head. The long intestine should also be removed and is easy to find in the hinderpart by splitting open this part and removing a long white string. The soft green portion is the liver and is eatable.
To serve.—(a) Pick apart and serve on lettuce with a French dressing, or (b) Serve hot with melted butter.
Meat Substitutes
Among these, beans, peas, lentils, eggs, milk, and cheese have already been mentioned. Fish is classed also as a meat substitute.
Nuts.—These are a valuable meat substitute, some of them having a good protein content, and a high fat content as well. (See Fig. 66.) They maybe served raw for dessert, with some fruit either fresh or dried, raisins and nuts being a pleasing combination. They should be thoroughly masticated. They are also palatable and possibly more digestible when cooked. The reason that many people consider nuts indigestible is because they eat them between meals, and do not give them a proper place in a meal, eating them when
enough food of other kinds has been taken. One who is open-minded in the matter of menus will find that nuts, raw or cooked, can literally take the place of meat in a meal.
Fig. 66.—Composition of nuts.
Almonds are always available in the markets and are so rich in protein and fat that a pound of shelled almonds is equivalent in food value to about three pounds of steak. At usual prices a good grade of almonds is more economical than the ordinary cuts of meat.
Chestnuts are a staple food in parts of Italy, and have a delicious flavor in soups, stuffings, and sauces. Our own native chestnuts, boiled and served whole or roasted, make an excellent simple dessert.
Hickory nuts, English walnuts, pecan nuts, and filberts are not only palatable in muffins, cake, and yeast bread, but add to the food value in a rational way.
Peanuts are rich in oil and protein. They are nearly equal to almonds in food value and are even more economical. Peanuts are too concentrated a food for eating between meals or to be taken after a meal already sufficient, but they may take the place of meat in the meal and peanut butter may be used on bread and in sandwiches without butter. They, too, may be used with cake and cookies.
Chopped nuts may be served with a variety of desserts. Remember always that they are to be considered food.
100-Calorie Portions of Shelled Nuts
| Kind | Weight of 100-Calorie Portion Ounces |
| Brazil nuts | 0.5 |
| Chestnuts | 1.5 |
| Filberts | 0.5 |
| Hickory nuts | 0.5 |
| Peanuts | 0.6 |
| Pecans | 0.5 |
| Walnuts (English) | 0.5 |
Teacher’s Note.—When time permits and circumstances make desirable the development of the economic phase of the food work, students may be directed to look up the composition, or the food value per ounce or per pound, of a variety of the foods of whatever group is under study and work out the return in food value for a given expenditure of money. The tables in Rose’s “Laboratory Handbook for Dietetics” will be found especially useful in such work.