The News And Views

Lenten Casseroles

OYSTERS AND SCALLOPS . . . In hot sauce.

By CECILY BROWNSTONE Associated Press Food Editor

"Casserole dishes are a natural for Lenten meals," says cookbook author Marian Tracy, "because there are so many delicious ways of preparing fish and cheese and eggs in them." Mrs. Tracy ought to know because her first book, "Casserole Cookery," has helped make this easy-do method of cooking popular all over this country. She confesses:

"I turned to take shortcuts in cooking because my husband took long cuts."

"Nino had a wonderful way with food and loved to give parties. He would putter over a dish ecstatically until midnight. The trouble was that when he was ready to serve everyone else was ready to go home.

"Late one night, when Nino's dinner was at last on the table, one of our guests refused to join us: 'I never eat just before I go to bed,' he said.

"That's when I decided something had to be done. Got interested in casserole cookery, and lured my husband into creating some wonderful casserole dishes. By letting several foods--some of them quick-frozen or canned--bubble together in a casserole in the oven we could relax and enjoy our friends. And we could still eat dinner, if not at seven when Nino cooked, at least by eight. Then all we had to do was to bring the casserole to the table, add a salad, an interesting bread, coffee, cheese or fruit or some other dessert."

At that time Mrs. Tracy worked in a Washington, D. C. book shop, but she wasn't able to find any book devoted to casserole cookery. She noticed, too, that customers kept asking for such a cookbook. This spurred her on to put down the casserole recipes the Tracys had concocted, to track down and develop new ones, and to write a casserole book herself.

So of the people who enjoyed that first book clamored for more, and that's why "More Casserole Cookery" (Viking, $2.75) has just appeared.

Both the Tracy casserole cookbooks not only offer shortcut cookery but encourage informality. Their special format is beguiling. Just one easily read recipe to a page with an accompanying short menu. Casserole cookery and short menus cut down on pots, pans, and platters.

Because she has no taste for desserts herself there are none in Mrs. Tracy's "Casserole Cookery." But she says she has finally given in to readers' tastes and "More Casserole Cookery" includes a number of foolproof sweets to add to a party meal.

One of Mrs. Tracy's favorite Lenten combinations is a cheese souffle to which she adds smoked oysters. Another is this recipe OYSTERS AND SCALLOPS LOUISIANA

Ingredients: 1/2 cup chopped onions 1 clove garlic. 1/4 cup chopped green pepper. 4 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons flour. 2 1/2 cups canned tomatoes. 1 1/2 teaspoons salt dash of pepper. dash of cayenne 1/2 teaspoon chili powder. 1/2 teaspoon sugar. 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese. 1 pint fresh oysters (drained). 1 pint scallops. 3 cups hot cooked rice 1 cup au

Saute the onion, garlic, and green pepper in butter 5 minutes or until delicately browned. Add flour and mix well. Add tomatoes. salt. pepper cayenne, chili powder. sugar. and cheese. Add scallops and oysters and scallops. in the sauce. on top. Heat in a 325-degree oven for about 15 to 20 minutes. just until the edges of the oysters curl Serves 4 in a civilized way.