Babos Receptai (Part 6)

It's almost New Year's Eve, so it's time to think about the užkandžiai, or appetizers, that will grace the table. We always served "New Year's Eve Eggs" when our family hosted the party. My paternal Grandmother, Tatjana, also liked to prepare her version of shrimp cocktail, "Amerikoniškas Shrimp Cocktail."

Here is her recipe (note the chemical formulas at the bottom of the page):

Here is how I wrote up the recipe:

First Courses

Shrimp with Rice and Pink Sauce

Wash canned shrimp* in cold water and place on cheesecloth.

Cook the rice as though you were making chicken (and rice with white sauce).

Make the sauce from mayonnaise, sour cream, red horseradish, tomato paste, and a bit of salt and sugar.

Place the shrimp in the center of the plate [and surround with the rice]. Pour the sauce around the shrimp and the rice.

Let stand in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before serving.

*This recipes is from the 1950s. Midwestern grocery stores rarely carried "fresh" seafood. It was not uncommon to serve luxury foods, like shrimp and lobster, from cans.