Crabs, Photo by Bess Mercado
Crab Thermidor Recipe
Crab thermidor is such a luxurious starter which will indulge any diner. Also the preparation can be done ahead of time for a dinner party.
Ingredients:
140 grams butter
2 medium onions, chopped
Three slices of white bread, crust removed and discarded
35 grams plain white flour
90 ml whole milk (full fat)
175 grams clotted cream
225 grams prawns, cooked and peeled
450 grams cooked white crab meat
50 grams Parmesan cheese, grated
salt and pepper to taste
Cooking Method:
Tear the bread roughly and put them through a food processor to be finely grated into breadcrumbs. Set aside.
Using a large frying pan, melt half of the butter over a low heat.
Add the onions and fry, stirring all the time until they have gone soft and transparent, not brown.
Using a separate frying pan, melt the rest of the butter over a low heat.
Add the breadcrumbs and fry. Stir until they have turned golden brown. Set aside.
Going back to the pan of cooking onions, stir in the flour and cook very gently for at least a minute, stirring continuously.
Remove this from the heat and stir in the milk.
Return the pan back to the heat and cook for 1-2 minutes until the mixture thickens. This process needs constant stirring so flour won’t turn lumpy.
Remove the pan from the heat once again, this time add the clotted cream. Season with salt and pepper. Stir well.
Add the prawns and crab meat, stir well but ever so gently, ensuring that the crab meat remain intact and not disintegrate into the sauce.
Preheat the grill to medium to hot.
Divide the crab mixture into 4 small ramekins or use cleaned 6 scallop shells.
Sprinkle each with the friend breadcrumbs and top with a generous shaving of parmesan cheese.
Put these under the grill for a couple of minutes or until the cheese has melted.
Serve immediately.
Hmppp, I can taste it already.
Enjoy.