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Crab Au Gratin

Crab au gratin recipe (Alyson Hurt)

This crab au gratin recipe is a great way to use crab and wonderful in the summer or the winter.

Ingredients

  • 3 Tbls butter (unsalted)
  • 1/2 cup onions (finely chopped, can use scallions also)
  • 1/4 cup celery (finely chopped)
  • 1 Tbls flour
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • pepper (white (to taste))
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg (ground)
  • 1/2 tsp mustard
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese (grated)
  • 1 egg yolks (beaten)
  • 2 Tbls lemon juice (fresh only please)
  • 1 lb crab (lump or fresh)
  • 3 Tbls bread crumbs
  • paprika to taste (can substitute cayenne)

Instructions

  1. Melt butter in a heavy saucepan and add onions and celery.
  2. Stir occasionally until onions are soft and transparent but not brown (Don’t overcook or brown them).
  3. Stir in the flour until well blended.
  4. Add the milk and stir constantly until the mixture is smooth.
  5. Add the pepper, nutmeg, mustard, and cheese.
  6. Remove from heat.
  7. Beat egg yolk with the lemon juice.
  8. Add crab meat and mix well.
  9. Butter a baking pan or individual baking dishes depending on how you like to serve them.
  10. Pour mixture, over all.
  11. Combine remaining cheese and bread crumbs, and sprinkle over the top of the mixture.
  12. Sprinkle the paprika over the top.
  13. Bake for 15 or 20 minutes until top is au gratin (brown and crusty).

Beer Pairing: 

Many beers come to mind with this crab au gratin recipe. You could go heavy or light, personally, I would probably think about a crisp American pale ale or IPA, but a Belgian tripel would also be good.