Shellfish fans, I need help.

[Matthew.Taylor]

OK, my mother, and father

 

They LOVED Shrimp, They LOVED Lobster.

 

And they can't touch them anymore.

 

Yes, some years back, Mom got severely sick after eating a plate of shrimp. Her doctor revealed she is allergic to shellfish. Dad is allergic to fish in general, denying him the right to enjoy his favorite Fish Spread whenever we go down to St. Pete Beach.

 

I want to surprise them with something similar enough to the stuff they loved, the texture, the seasoning (Old Bay?), something that can bring back a bit of that feeling, with none of the potential for swelling up and going to the hospital. What can I do?

[lemniscate]

Get familiar with King Oyster mushrooms?   

[ElsieD]

@lemniscate's comment brought to mind lobster mushrooms. I've had them and they're very good.  From Wikipedia:

 

 "They are commercially marketed and sometimes found in grocery stores; they have been made available at markets in Oregon.^[2] They have a seafood-like flavor and a firm, dense texture."

[heidih]

King oyster mushrooms have an enjoyabe texture and pan fried with a little hit of soy sauce- in the territory

 

Sasify is an old traditional oyster flavor  https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/glossary/salsify-glossary

 

 

 

[heidih]

Not exactly where you were headed but if thwy were fond of tuna salad there are many recies that sub chickpeas/garbanzos. It is the tratuinak flavorings and the mouthfeel of the beans that scratch the itch. From Melissa Clark in NYT "Scoop about 3 to 4 tablespoons of your mayo of choice into the bowl with the chickpeas. Now add whatever you usually add to tuna salad. I like a chopped celery stalk, 2 tablespoons or so of chopped onion (or scallion or shallot), a scant teaspoon of mustard, and a drizzle of brine from the pickle jar" 

Also  https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/move-over-fake-meat-its-time-veggie-seafood-180973080/

Edited April 14, 2023 by heidih (log)

[Margaret Pilgrim]

How about assorted vegetable tempuras with cocktail or tartar sauce?

[pastrygirl]

What were their favorite shrimp or lobster dishes?  If it's all about the garlic butter, lobster mushrooms would work great.  Sea vegetables like nori, sea beans (glasswort) or kombu could help add sea flavor.

 

What's notable about the fish spread?  Is it smoky, tangy, spicy?  I've seen plant-based tuna at grocery outlet, could be worth experimenting with that.

[Matthew.Taylor]

9 hours ago, pastrygirl said:

What were their favorite shrimp or lobster dishes?  If it's all about the garlic butter, lobster mushrooms would work great.  Sea vegetables like nori, sea beans (glasswort) or kombu could help add sea flavor.

 

What's notable about the fish spread?  Is it smoky, tangy, spicy?  I've seen plant-based tuna at grocery outlet, could be worth experimenting with that.

Mom seemed to just love Shrimp in general, though judging by her tastes, I imagine Shrimp and grits would be a favorite. Dad just loved lobster and butter (he’s NOT a condiment person.) As for the fish spread, this video shows how it’s made (starts at around the 3:00 mark.)

 

 

Edited April 14, 2023 by Matthew.Taylor (log)

[liamsaunt]

In addition to the already recommended king oyster mushrooms for hot, buttery dishes, you could try chopped hearts of palm as a substitute for the fish in mayo based seafood salads.  It would be more of a texture substitute than flavor (and I would sample it first before serving to your folks!).  

[Elkyfr]

There is a recipe with monkfish and it is called false lobster. It is even shaped like a lobster tail and peppered for colour.

[kayb]

It would seem to me you could sous vide chicken breast, cube it, pan sauté in butter with Old Bay, and serve over grits with a pan sauce and at least get the idea across. Ditto shrimp in Mornay sauce.

[pastrygirl]

looks like the smokiness is a big part of the fish spread, so see what other smoked meats you can find, or use chicken breast and add liquid smoke

[btbyrd]

If they can eat fish but not shellfish, you could look into surimi shaped like shellfish. Surimi puts the "K" in "krabstick." Mushrooms are a good call too. In addition to oyster and lobster mushrooms, I think lions mane has some good seafood-y flavor. Enoki might be worth playing around with if you're going to cook them first and them make them into a "crab cake." There's a tinned faux snow crab product made from enoki from Seed to Surf that's supposed to be pretty tasty, but at around $10 a tin, it may seem like kind of a lot to spend on canned mushrooms. 

[Smithy]

42 minutes ago, btbyrd said:

If they can eat fish but not shellfish, you could look into surimi shaped like shellfish. Surimi puts the "K" in "krabstick." Mushrooms are a good call too. In addition to oyster and lobster mushrooms, I think lions mane has some good seafood-y flavor. Enoki might be worth playing around with if you're going to cook them first and them make them into a "crab cake." There's a tinned faux snow crab product made from enoki from Seed to Surf that's supposed to be pretty tasty, but at around $10 a tin, it may seem like kind of a lot to spend on canned mushrooms. 

 

Interesting about the mushroom idea. I really need to play with mushrooms more. But isn't surimi a form of fish? 

 

18 hours ago, Matthew.Taylor said:

Dad is allergic to fish in general, denying him the right to enjoy his favorite Fish Spread whenever we go down to St. Pete Beach.

 

[btbyrd]

For some reason, I missed the part about dad being allergic to fish and only saw the shellfish allergy. 

[Anna N]

Am I the only one who thinks that this is just a bad idea? Kudos to @Matthew.Taylorfor wanting to surprise his parents and give them something approximating that which  they can no longer enjoy. It is a fine sentiment. But as someone who is deathly allergic to one shellfish I can assure you life goes on without it. To eat fake crab, fake lobster or fake anything else does not strike me as something that appeals.  No mushroom, no matter how expensive or rare, is ever going to even come close to the texture or taste of lobster. I only see disappointment ahead both for him and his parents. I say treat them to something else that they really enjoy and that is real. Just one person's opinion.

[Allura]

Surimi is sometimes flavored with bits of crab. Be very careful about giving it to someone with a seafood allergy.

 

1 hour ago, btbyrd said:

If they can eat fish but not shellfish, you could look into surimi shaped like shellfish. Surimi puts the "K" in "krabstick." Mushrooms are a good call too. In addition to oyster and lobster mushrooms, I think lions mane has some good seafood-y flavor. Enoki might be worth playing around with if you're going to cook them first and them make them into a "crab cake." There's a tinned faux snow crab product made from enoki from Seed to Surf that's supposed to be pretty tasty, but at around $10 a tin, it may seem like kind of a lot to spend on canned mushrooms. 

 

[cdh]

Make friends with a doctor and set up a pair of epinepherine IV drips next to a table full of everything that they love and can't eat?

[Matthew.Taylor]

5 hours ago, Anna N said:

Am I the only one who thinks that this is just a bad idea? Kudos to @Matthew.Taylorfor wanting to surprise his parents and give them something approximating that which  they can no longer enjoy. It is a fine sentiment. But as someone who is deathly allergic to one shellfish I can assure you life goes on without it. To eat fake crab, fake lobster or fake anything else does not strike me as something that appeals.  No mushroom, no matter how expensive or rare, is ever going to even come close to the texture or taste of lobster. I only see disappointment ahead both for him and his parents. I say treat them to something else that they really enjoy and that is real. Just one person's opinion.

I understand what you’re saying, and I thank you for saying it. But I want to at least try, especially for the fish spread. I have a few possible ideas to use. 
 

but again, thank you very much for this.

[lemniscate]

25 minutes ago, Matthew.Taylor said:

But I want to at least try, especially for the fish spread. I have a few possible ideas to use. 

Maybe jackfruit and liquid smoke for the fish spread would work?

[Matthew.Taylor]

1 hour ago, lemniscate said:

Maybe jackfruit and liquid smoke for the fish spread would work?

I thought about this “vegan” Salmon.

 

https://www.sweeterthanoats.com/how-to-make-vegan-smoked-salmon/
 

https://avegtastefromatoz.com/best-vegan-salmon/

[pastrygirl]

Old Bay biscuits eggs Benedict

Edited April 15, 2023 by pastrygirl (log)

[liuzhou]

I don't know how widely available these are but seafood mushrooms.