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Christmas: Crab in Ramekins

Source of Recipe

From "The Pastry Queen Christmas" by Rebecca Rather


Recipe Introduction

"Lump crabmeat swathed in a creamy cheese sauce, topped with a crisp layer of bread crumbs, and served in individual ramekins makes an ideal first course. More good news: The recipe doubles easily if you are feeding a crowd, and it can be made one day ahead and baked just before serving. In fact, making the dish ahead deepens and improves its flavor."

List of Ingredients

◦  4 Tbsp unsalted butter
◦  2 cups chopped sweet white onions
◦  ⅓ cup chopped celery
◦  1 tsp Cajun seasoning, such as Bell's
◦  ¼ cup all-purpose flour
◦  ½ tsp baking powder
◦  ⅛ tsp kosher salt
◦  2 Tbsp shredded Gruyère cheese
◦  ¼ cup shredded Cheddar cheese
◦  1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
◦  3 cups heavy whipping cream
◦  1 egg yolk
◦  1 Tbsp chopped green onion
◦  1 pound fresh or pasteurized lump crabmeat, picked over for shell
◦  1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 450° F. Grease four 1-cup ramekins with butter or cooking spray.

In a large, heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the onions and celery until coated with butter. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft.

Stir in the Cajun seasoning and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the flour, baking powder, salt, and cheeses. Increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, until the cheeses melt. Whisk in 1½ cups of the cream, then the egg yolk, then the remaining 1½ cups cream. Whisk over low heat until the mixture is creamy and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the green onion, then gently fold in the crabmeat to avoid breaking it up. Spoon one-fourth of the mixture into each of the prepared ramekins. The ramekins can be made ahead up to this point, covered, and refrigerated for up to 1 day.

To bake, sprinkle ¼ cup panko over the top of each ramekin. Place on a rimmed baking sheet or in a baking pan and bake for about 20 minutes, until the mixture is bubbly and the bread crumbs are golden brown. (Add about 5 minutes to the baking time if the dish has been refrigerated overnight.) Serve immediately.


Makes 4 servings