Recipe courtesy of Robert Herzog
King Crabmeat Crepes with Bechamel Cream Gratin
- Yield: 10 to 12 crepes
- Total: 1 hr
- Prep: 30 min
- Cook: 30 min
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup light beer
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 tablespoon melted butter, plus butter for sauteing
Crabmeat Filling, recipe follows
Crabmeat Filling:
8 to 10 ounces cooked crabmeat or canned
1 teaspoon shallots, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dry English mustard
1/4 teaspoon prepared horseradish
Pinch salt and pepper
1 lemon, juiced
1/3 cup bechamel sauce, recipe follows
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/2 cup fine bread crumbs, fresh as possible
1 tablespoon corn oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley
1 teaspoon finely chopped chives
1 tablespoon Parmesan, grated
Bechamel Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, sliced
3 tablespoons flour
Pinch thyme
Pinch nutmeg
2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions
- Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the beer, mixing until smooth. Beat the eggs and egg yolks in a small bowl, add to the batter and whisk until smooth. Add the sour cream and melted butter. Heat a 6 inch saute pan, add a light coating of butter, and make individual crepes until the batter is used up.
- Fill center of each crepe with crabmeat mixture. Roll crepes up and transfer them to a shallow buttered ovenproof dish.
- In a mixing bowl combine the bread crumbs, oil, garlic, parsley, chives, and Parmesan. Mix well and sprinkle over the filled crepes. Bake in a preheated 400 degree F oven for about 15 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Serve hot.
Crabmeat Filling:
- On top of a double boiler over simmering water combine crabmeat with shallots, mustard, horseradish, salt, pepper, lemon juice, bichamel sauce and mayonnaise. Cook for about 5 minutes until heated through.
Bechamel Sauce:
- Melt butter in a saucepan. Add onion and saute until transparent. Stir in flour and cook over medium heat until a roux is formed. Mix in thyme and nutmeg. In another saucepan, bring milk and salt to a boil. Pour hot milk quickly into the roux and stir until thickened. Simmer slowly for 15 minutes, stirring constantly. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve.