Seafood casserole a rich, flavorful treat
Casseroles are quick and easy to prepare, and definite crowdpleasers. Our Seafood Casserole is a perennial favorite among our guests, and it's especially popular once temperatures drop and people crave heartier, richer meals.
Sandy Block, the head of our beverage program, recommends pairing this dish with the Ramey Cellars 2014 chardonnay. “It's a rich, buttery but well-structured chardonnay from the Russian River Valley. For this dish, you need a wine with intensity and flavor impact to balance its texture. The Ramey is medium-bodied with toasted almond, appley, lemon-accented notes that match the Seafood Casserole to perfection.”
1 T. unbleached allpurpose flour
2/3 c. fish stock
1 lb. shrimp, peeled
1/2 lb. sea scallops, halved
1/2 lb. haddock or cod, cut into 1-inch cubes
6-8 oz. lobster meat, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 t. minced garlic
1-2 T. dry sherry 1/3 c. freshly grated Monterey jack cheese
1/2 c. bread crumbs
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
In a small nonreactive saucepan, melt 1 T. of butter over low heat. Remove from the heat and whisk in the flour. Return the pan to the stove and cook for 2 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the flour is cooked through. Remove from the heat, and pour in the fish stock. Return the pan to the stove and cook over moderate heat, whisking constantly, for 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture forms a light sauce. Set the mixture aside.
Place the shrimp, scallops and haddock in a buttered baking dish just large enough to hold them (or separate into 4 individual baking dishes). Toss the seafood with the remaining 2 T. butter and the garlic and sherry, then nap with the sauce. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven, tilt, baste with the cooking juices and add the lobster. Sprinkle with the cheese, then top with the bread crumbs. Return the dish to the oven and bake for 5-8 minutes longer, or until the crumbs are lightly browned. Serves 4.