Indulgently cheesy blue crab gratin

Everyone loves a good potato or cauliflower gratin. This time let’s take it up a notch by using blue crab chunks. Your dinner party guests will be so impressed.

I adore a good gratin recipe — it’s comfort food at its finest. A couple of weeks ago I went on a ski trip, and ever since I’ve gotten home, I keep thinking about a crab gratin dish I ate. There were no potatoes involved. Just cheese, crab, leeks and sun-dried tomatoes. This will definitely be my new go-to gratin dish for dinner.

Cheesy blue crab, sun-dried tomato and leek gratin recipe

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
• 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1/3 cup parsley
• 3 tablespoons salted butter
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
• 1 cup sliced leeks
• 1-1/2 cups crabmeat
• 2 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a food processor, combine the tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and the parsley.
3. In a saute pan, add the butter, and whisk in the flour. Slowly add in the half-and-half and milk to the roux. Stir for 3 to 4 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
4. Add the paprika, salt and pepper to the sauce.
5. Stir in the mild cheddar, sun-dried tomato mixture, leeks and crabmeat.
6. Place in a 10 x 7-inch baking dish. Top with 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and the panko breadcrumbs.
7. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

More gratin recipes

Baked Brussels sprouts gratin
Spinach gratin
Classic au gratin potatoes