Crabmeat au gratin
3 tbls. butter
3 tbls. flour
2 cups milk
1/2 cup dry sherry
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tbl. seasoned salt or to taste
1 lb. lump crabmeat
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded MontereyJack cheese
Paprika
Melt butter in a saucepan. Add flour and stir to mix thoroughly.
Add milk, sherry, Worcestershire sauce and seasoned salt, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil, continue stirring and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Sauce may be refrigerated at this point, if desired.
Mix sauce with crabmeat and divide among individual ramekins or spoon into a buttered ceramic baking dish. Top with a mixture of the two cheeses and sprinkle with paprika.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake about 15 minutes for ramekins, or 30 minutes for one large dish. Allow additional cooking time if the sauce has been refrigerated.
Serves 4 to 6.
-- "Gulf Coast Cooking" by Virginia Elverson
Crabmeat au gratin
4 cups chopped yellow onions
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 stick butter or margarine
1 1/4 tsps. salt
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 cup self-rising flour
4 ozs. American cheese, shredded
4 ozs. mozzarella cheese, shredded
6 cups evaporated milk, divided
2 egg yolks
2 tbls. chopped green onions
1 lb. white crabmeat (lump)
1 lb. crabmeat (claw)
In a large saucepan, sauté yellow onions and celery in butter or margarine. Cover andsimmer 15 to 20 minutes over low heat.
Add salt and cayenne pepper. Stir. Add flour, American cheese and mozzarella cheese. Cook over medium heat until cheese melts. Add 3 cups evaporated milk. Stir. In a separate bowl, mix egg yolks with remaining 3 cups milk. Gradually add egg yolk mixture to saucepan. Cook over low heat until creamy. Add green onions and all crabmeat. Spoon into a greased casserole dish. Bake 20 minutes at 450 degrees. Serve immediately.
Serves 6 to 8.
Note: This dish is actually best when prepared and refrigerated for several hours before baking. Simply adjust baking time to 40 minutes at 450 degrees. This can also be used as a dip. Just add additional milk and heat slowly.
-- "Mike Anderson's Seafood"
Louisiana crab au gratin
This sauce is a Cajunized version of a traditional béchamel sauce, rich and creamy. This dish can be prepared ahead of time and just popped into the oven 30 minutes prior to serving.
4 tbls. unsalted butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tbl. minced garlic
3 tbls. flour
1 cup milk
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
2 tsps. Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning
1 tsp. hot sauce
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 lb. crabmeat, claw
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In saucepot, heat butter over medium heat; add onions and cook for 5 minutes. Then add garlic and cook for an additional minute. Stir in flour and cook for a minute. Slowly add milk and whip until milk starts to thicken. Lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup cheese, Creole seasoning, hot sauce, thyme and nutmeg. Continue to cook over low heat until cheese is melted. Remove from heat andstir in crabmeat and green onions. Pour into an 8x8-inch greased baking dish and top with the remaining cheese and bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes.
Makes 4 servings.
-- "Louisiana's Chef Patrick Mould Recipes from a Chef" cookbook