One Shell Of A Question

Recipe Sleuth

OK, all you recipe sleuths out there, I've got another quest for you! Betsy Troilo asks:

I had a recipe for a seafood casserole that I cut out of a magazine about 30 years ago. I lost it and have tried to find it over the years. It was made with Miracle Whip dressing and I have already called their 800 number, and they didn't have it on file. Some of the ingredients were pimentos, Worcestershire sauce and shrimp, and you baked it in the oven, covered it with Chinese noodles and returned it to the oven for a few minutes. It was sort of like a coquille St. Jacques but not cheesy. If you could somehow locate this recipe I would be thrilled. Thank you.

This sounds like something SOMEone should have rattling around in a recipe box somewhere! If you have it, send it on!

Q: Where can I find a book or pamphlet on converting grams to ounces and ounces to grams? --Jimbo

If you'll look under the "Food Tools" section of the food page, you'll find a Measurement Conversion Calculator. It will convert English to metric and back, and even work within both systems! Check out our new Menu Maker while you're there. It's a fantastic tool that will give you the nutritional breakdown on your meals.

Q: My kids love to taste the mixes before we put them in the oven to bake. Don't we all? Ever since I saw a program on eggs though, I haven't wanted them to lick anything with raw egg in it for fear of them getting sick. So my question is, do I need to worry about them licking a mix before it is cooked? My older daughter will lick it before the eggs are put in, her way of getting around it. Thanks for your time. --Wendy Antaya

A: If you buy fresh eggs and keep them cold, even if you DO come across a contaminated egg, the Salmonella inside won't be able to grow. It's important to know that egg farmers have worked diligently to eradicate the disease from their flocks. FoodNet, a food safety system operated by the CDC, has reported a 48-percent decline in Salmonella cases connected to eggs since 1996.

You can also buy pasteurized eggs. They cost a bit more per dozen, but you'll eliminate any chance of a problem.

All that said, according to every reputable source I can find, the danger to a healthy person with no immune-system disorder from tasting a raw-egg mixture such as cake batter is next to none. I do it myself with alarming frequency.

Q: Can you tell me what type of snails are used in escargot? Are they regular garden variety snails or are they water snails, or are they a special kind that are grown and harvested just for French cooks? --Ann Bircsak

A: Heliciculture is the raising of snails, and there are folks who make a very good living raising what are commonly called escargot snails.

There are actually a number of different kinds of snails eaten around the world. One of the most common served as escargot is the common brown garden snail, Helix aspersia.

Would I go out into my garden and snag whatever's oozing around to make my escargot? Not likely. Edible snails are grown under controlled conditions, and don't eat anything that might render them unpalatable or unhealthy to consume.

Last week, frogs. This week, snails. Durian, anyone?

Q: I have a garden and seem to have an over abundance of cucumbers. Is there any other way to save these goodies besides pickling? --Ron

A: Cucumbers do NOT freeze well. You'll end up with mush. Pickling is really the only way to get good long-term storage of your garden cukes.

There are hundreds of different recipes for pickling cucumbers, though. There are flavors covering the whole spectrum, from sweet to spicy, mellow to tart, and salty to savory. There's bound to be something to fit your palate, and the equipment needed for effective pickling can be had at any independent hardware store for just a few bucks.

Bonus Recipe

From home-cooking maven Lori Flanigan comes this quick and delicious Salisbury Steak recipe. Don't have much time to cook? Give this a try!

1 can golden mushroom soup
1 pound ground beef
1/3-½ c. dried bread crumbs
1 egg
¼ c. chopped onion
Dash freshly ground pepper

Mix all ingredients using ¼ c. soup. Shape into patties and put in shallow baking dish. Bake at 350° F. 30-45 minutes. Drain fat. Mix remaining soup with 1/3-½ can water. Pour over meat and bake 10 minutes longer.

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