SEAFOOD AU GRATIN

This dish is very much like a seafood chowder or stew but it does not contain potatoes and is not soupy. You can put this together in the afternoon, cover and refrigerate until ready to bake in the oven. You may have to bake it 5 minutes longer if it comes out of the refrigerator. If you love seafood in a sherry sauce with crispy bacon on top, you'll love this!

2 slices bacon, chopped

4 T unsalted butter, divided

1 small leek, diced

½ carrot, peeled and diced

1 stalk celery, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 T all-purpose flour

¼ cup dry sherry

½ cup clam juice or seafood broth

¼ t saffron threads (optional)

6 large shrimp, peeled, deveined, cut in half crosswise

6 sea scallops

4 oz cod or haddock, cut into bite-size chunks

½ cup half-and-half

4 oz cooked lobster meat, cut into bite-size chunks, (a lobster tail is perfect)

½ cup panko (Japanese dried bread crumbs)

½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1 T chopped fresh Italian parsley

2 t chopped fresh tarragon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a saucepan cook the bacon until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate and set aside.

Drain off the bacon grease but leave the brown bits in the pan.
Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and sauté the leek, carrot, and celery for 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook another minute.

Add the flour and cook a couple of minutes.

Add the sherry and cook a couple of seconds, then add the clam juice and saffron, if using.

Add shrimp, scallops, and fish and cook 2 minutes.

Evenly divide between 2 gratin dishes and add the cooked lobster meat to the top.

In a small bowl, combine the panko, Parmigiano, parsley, and tarragon.

Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and mix into the crumbs.

Spoon the crumbs on top and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the sauce is bubbly.

Serves 2