Gourmet Seafood Crêpes Béchamel (Printable Version)
Elegant seafood crêpes with creamy béchamel sauce for special occasions.
# What You Need:
→ For the Crêpes
01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 2 large eggs
03 - 1 1/4 cups whole milk
04 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
05 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ For the Seafood Filling
06 - 1/2 lb cooked shrimp, peeled, deveined, and chopped
07 - 1/2 lb cooked crab meat, picked over for shells
08 - 1/2 cup dry white wine
09 - 1 small shallot, finely minced
10 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
11 - 1 clove garlic, minced
12 - 1/4 cup heavy cream
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
14 - Zest of 1/2 lemon
15 - Salt and pepper, to taste
→ For the Béchamel Sauce
16 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
17 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
18 - 1 1/4 cups whole milk, warmed
19 - Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
20 - Salt and white pepper, to taste
→ For Assembly
21 - 1/2 cup grated Gruyère cheese
22 - Chopped fresh chives or parsley, for garnish (optional)
# How To Make It:
01 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Add eggs, then gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Stir in melted butter. Let rest for 20 minutes at room temperature.
02 - In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute until foamy but not browned. Gradually whisk in warm milk and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened (about 3-4 minutes). Season with nutmeg, salt, and white pepper. Keep warm.
03 - Heat a nonstick skillet (8-inch) over medium heat. Lightly brush with butter. Pour in about 1/4 cup batter, swirling to coat. Cook until edges lift and bottom is golden, about 1-2 minutes. Flip and cook 30 seconds more. Repeat to make 8 crêpes, stacking with parchment between each.
04 - In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add shallot and garlic; sauté until translucent (about 2 minutes). Add white wine and simmer until almost evaporated. Stir in shrimp, crab, and heavy cream; cook until just heated through. Remove from heat, stir in parsley, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
05 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Place a crêpe on a work surface. Spoon seafood filling down the center, roll up, and arrange seam-side down in a buttered baking dish. Repeat with remaining crêpes and filling.
06 - Pour béchamel sauce evenly over the filled crêpes. Sprinkle with Gruyère. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until bubbling and lightly golden.
07 - Garnish with chives or parsley if desired. Serve hot.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The combination of tender crêpes, creamy seafood filling, and velvety béchamel tastes like something from a French bistro but comes together in about an hour
- These crêpes are elegant enough for a dinner party yet comforting enough for a quiet weekend evening at home
02 -
- The crêpe batter must rest for the full 20 minutes; I once tried skipping this step and ended up with torn, frustrating crêpes
- Warm milk is absolutely essential for lump-free béchamel; cold milk creates a disaster that takes forever to smooth out
03 -
- Invest in a good-quality nonstick crêpe pan; mine is 8 inches and has paid for itself a hundred times over
- Use a digital scale to weigh the flour for the batter; it's the only way to get consistent results every single time