• >
  • Recipes
  • >
  • Gratineed Crabmeat with Sauce Mornay

Gratineed Crabmeat with Sauce Mornay

Photo: Gratineed Crabmeat with Sauce Mornay

TOTAL TIME: 2 hr 25 min
Prep: 1 hr 30 min
Inactive Prep: 30 min
Cook: 25 min
 
YIELD: 6 to 8 servings
LEVEL: Intermediate

ingredients

  • 2 cups Bechamel Sauce, recipe follows
  • 2 ounces grated Gruyere
  • 1/2-ounce grated Parmesan
  • 2 tablespoons whole butter, plus 3 tablespoons melted
  • 1/4 cup minced shallots
  • 1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves
  • 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
  • 1/2 teaspoon Essence, recipe follows
  • 2 dozen toast points, for serving
BECHAMEL SAUCE:
  • 1/2 small yellow onion, skin and root end removed
  • 1 small bay leaf
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 1 quart whole milk
  • 4 tablespoons butter
EMERIL'S ESSENCE CREOLE SEASONING (ALSO REFERRED TO AS BAYOU BLAST):
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon black pepper
recipe tools

    • COMMENT ON THIS PROJECT

        

    Sign in

    All fields are required.

    E-mail Address:

    Password:

    Remember me on this computer

    Signing in

    Please enter your email address and we will send your password

    E-mail Address

    Your password has been sent and should arrive in your mailbox very soon.

    Not a member?

    Sign up for My Cooking Channel to share photos, show off your style, and connect to an enthusiastic and helpful community.

    It's free and easy.

  • Print Recipe

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine the bechamel with the Gruyere and Parmesan. Stir well to combine and set aside.

Set a 12-inch saute pan over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of whole butter. Once the butter is melted, add the shallots to the pan and cook until soft, about 1 minute. Add the crabmeat and season with the salt and pepper. Cook the crabmeat in the saute pan and toss to evenly mix, about 2 minutes. Add the chives, parsley and tarragon to the crab and continue to toss to blend.

Pour the sauce over the crabmeat and stir to combine. Transfer the crabmeat mixture to a 1-quart oval casserole dish. In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs with the melted butter and Essence and stir to blend. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the crabmeat and place the casserole in the oven until well browned and bubbly, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven, garnish with chopped parsley and serve with toast points.
Set a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Take the onion, and lay the bay leaf on the cut side. Use the cloves to pierce the bay leaf and affix it to the onion. This is called an onion pique. Place the onion pique into the saucepan and add the milk. Scald the milk, and lower the heat to a simmer. Simmer the milk for 45 minutes, then strain through a fine mesh sieve and set aside to cool.

Once the milk has cooled, make the roux. In a small 1-quart saucepan set over medium heat, melt the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the flour to the pan and stir to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, until the roux is light tan in color, about 5 minutes. Add the milk to the pan and whisk to keep any lumps from forming. Bring the milk to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Season with the salt, pepper and nutmeg and cook until the roux taste has cooked out, about 10 minutes.

Yield: about 2 cups

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch, published by William and Morrow, 1993.

COMMENT ON THIS PROJECT

    

Sign in

All fields are required.

E-mail Address:

Password:

Remember me on this computer

Signing in

Please enter your email address and we will send your password

E-mail Address

Your password has been sent and should arrive in your mailbox very soon.

Not a member?

Sign up for My Cooking Channel to share photos, show off your style, and connect to an enthusiastic and helpful community.

It's free and easy.

Review This Recipe

You must be logged in to review this recipe.

or Sign Up to Review

Advertisement

On TV

*ALL TIMES EASTERN
ON AIR
NOW
TONIGHT
10:00
PM

what's hot

Road Trip with G. Garvin
Road Trip with G. Garvin Host: G. Garvin

Get Cooking Channel on your TV.

Learn How