Recipe: Oyster Scallop

Today is Fat Tuesday the end of Mardi Gras and the day before Ash Wednesday when Lent begins. Lent is the 40 days of prayer and decrease prior to Easter, the observed day to remember the death, burial and resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ for our salvation.

I grew up with seafood on the table, especially as a child living in South Louisiana. I rode in a day-time Mardi Gras float throwing out beads and other trinkets and candy. The guys would go shrimping or we'd meet the boat at the dock for fresh Gulf of Mexico crab. Momma's boiled shrimp and crab are fond memories, except when she had me peel the shrimp. Her gumbo is still a staple at Christmas!

This recipe was not part of my childhood, but found its way to my table as a married woman. I have not made it very often and I don't even know why. It's light and creamy and can be a side or the entreé for any old day or for today! The simple ingredients can be found at your local grocer. In fact, you probably have the majority of the recipe in your cupboard, right now! Quickly go check!

Oyster Scallop

1 (15 ozs.) can Cream-Style Corn
1 (15 ozs.) can Whole Kernel Corn, drained
1 (12 ozs.) can Evaporated Milk -OR- 12 ozs. Milk
1/2 cup to 3/4 cup Roasted Red Peppers, chopped (from a jar on the pickle aisle)
5 large Eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon Ground Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Ground Red Pepper
1 pint Shucked Oysters, drained & chopped
1 box Ritz Crackers, coarsely crushed (use as many as it takes)
*wait to add salt after it cooks, because the oysters and crackers are salty*

• Preheat oven to 325*F.
• Combine both cans of corn (remember to drain the whole kernel corn), milk, red pepper, eggs (slightly beaten) and pepper.
• Stir in chopped oysters.
• Pam or grease 2 loaf pans -OR- a 2 quart baking dish.
•  Cover the bottom with a generous amount of crushed crackers.
• Spoon a good layer of the oyster and corn mixture over the crackers. 
• Add another layer of crackers and another layer of the oyster and corn mixture and top with a layer of crackers.
• Bake on a cookie sheet -just in case- for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the center is set. During baking the scallop will rise up high! As it starts to cool, it will sink back down.

Now, throw on some Cajun Mardi Gras music and enjoy your creation with some buttery garlic french bread! Mmmm!

The Dessert Menu:

King Cake is the traditional Mardi Gras dessert. It's a pastry (sometimes a layered cake) shaped in a circle usually with a preferred filling of cinnamon & pecans or sweetened cream cheese, bavarian custard or fruit and elaborately decorated in the colors of Mardi Gras, green, purple and gold. A tiny, toy baby is tucked inside -after baking- so that the person who finds Baby Jesus is the King of that Mardi Gras celebration and brings the King Cake, next year. There is much symbolism in this dessert as it used to remember the 3 kings looking for the Christ Child. Circular for the path the kings took so Herod could not find Jesus. And, of course, the Baby Jesus is found by the seeker.