Shrimp and Crab Au Gratin
Why I Love This Recipe
I ask myself why I can't lose weight. Well, I love Paula Deen's recipes, that's why! Oh, of course, I love my own cooking, too. This recipe, thanks to Paula, has made it as one of my favorite dishes. It's delicious, but not for the faint of heart...butter, milk and cheese :)....mmmmmmmm, good!
Ingredients You'll Need
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 lemon, juiced
Salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 lb. small or medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 lb. claw crabmeat (I've also done it with imitation crab)
1 1/2 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese
Directions
Melt butter over low heat. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute over the low heat, stirring constantly.
Slowly add milk. Using a whisk, stir briskly until you have a smooth sauce, about 2 minutes.
Add wine, lemon juice, salt, black pepper and cayenne; whisk again. Keep stirring with a wooden spoon until it is completely smooth and thickened, about the consistency of mayonnaise (although mine always seems thicker). Remove from the heat.
Bring 2 cups water and 1/2 tsp. salt to a boil in a medium saucepan and add the shrimp. When the water returns to a boil, cook shrimp for 1 minute. Drain immediately.
Roughly chop shrimp and put in a large bowl. Add crab meat and toss gently to mix. Pour sauce over seafood and gently combine, taking care not to break apart the crab meat.
Spray an 8-inch oven-proof dish with cooking spray and pour mixture into the pan.
Sprinkle top with grated cheese, completely covering the seafood mixture.
Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven, uncovered, for about 25 minutes, or until bubbly.
