Cheesy Jumbo Lump Crab Gratin (Printable)
Creamy baked crab under a bubbling cheddar and Gruyère cheese crust, pure indulgence.
# What You'll Need:
→ Seafood
01 - 1 lb jumbo lump crab meat, carefully picked over for shells
→ Cheese
02 - 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
03 - 1 cup Gruyère cheese, shredded
04 - 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
→ Sauce
05 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
06 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
07 - 1 1/4 cups whole milk
08 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
09 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
10 - 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
11 - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
12 - 1/4 tsp paprika
13 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
14 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
→ Garnishes
15 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
16 - Lemon wedges for serving
# How to Cook:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly butter a medium gratin or casserole dish and set aside.
02 - In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until a smooth roux forms.
03 - Gradually whisk in the milk and heavy cream, stirring continuously until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened, about 3 to 4 minutes.
04 - Stir in the Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, paprika, sea salt, and black pepper until evenly incorporated.
05 - Remove the saucepan from heat. Fold in half of the shredded cheddar, half of the shredded Gruyère, and all of the grated Parmesan, stirring until fully melted and smooth.
06 - Gently fold the jumbo lump crab meat into the cheese sauce, taking care not to break apart the lumps.
07 - Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading evenly. Scatter the remaining cheddar and Gruyère across the top.
08 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the gratin is bubbling vigorously and the cheese crust is a rich golden brown.
09 - Allow the gratin to rest for a few minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve alongside lemon wedges.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sauce clings to every single lump of crab without drowning it, which is harder to pull off than you would think.
- That cheese crust on top shatters when you spoon into it and underneath everything is impossibly creamy and rich.
02 -
- If you stir the crab aggressively you will end up with shredded bits instead of those beautiful lumps, so use a folding motion and resist the urge to overmix.
- The sauce will look a bit loose when you put it in the dish but it sets up as it bakes, so trust the process and do not add extra flour.
03 -
- Pick through the crab meat very carefully because nothing ruins a luxurious bite faster than finding a hidden shell fragment.
- Use the best cheese you can afford because this recipe has so few ingredients that quality of each one really shines through.