Ever since I mentioned my daddy’s Crabmeat Au Gratin, people have been writing in for the recipe. I’ve gotten back to a few of you, but figure this will be a more efficient way of spreading the love with Bob Hughes’s take on a New Orleans classic.
Let’s just say my daddy really puts the “au gratin” into his au gratin. He’s a big fan of “anything cheesy and bubbly,” he told the local Times-Picayune, when the paper ran the recipe in their “Homecooking” column years ago.
But let me warn you, Daddy never followed a recipe in his life, so feel free to fool around with the measurements below. And with all that cheese, and the creamy sweet potato bed, the rich dish is not as spicy as it might sound. Adjust if you’re worried. You can always up the spice next time around.
Crabmeat Au Gratin
Ingredients
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
5 tablespoons butter, divided
¼ cup milk
Salt and pepper
1 bunch green onions, chopped (about 2 cups)
½ red bell pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups half-and-half
8 tablespoons Cheez Whiz
3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
3 tablespoons Creole mustard
3 tablespoons White Wine Worcestershire Sauce
2 tablespoons Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Seafood Magic seasoning blend
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh curly parsley leaves
1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat, thoroughly picked over for shells
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
¾ cup seasoned bread crumbs
Directions
Boil sweet potatoes until tender; drain and place in a large mixing bowl. Add two tablespoons butter and milk, and mash. Season with salt and pepper.
Use one tablespoon butter to grease a casserole dish (about 10 inches square and two inches deep), and add potatoes to dish in an even layer; set aside.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Melt two tablespoons butter in a five-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add green onions and bell peppers and sauté about five minutes. Add flour, stirring until smooth.
Turn heat to low and add half-and-half, Cheez Whiz, horseradish, mustard, Worcestershire, seasoning mix and parsley, stirring well. Saute over low heat about five minutes, stirring often.
Add crabmeat to pan, stirring gently so lumps don’t break up.
Remove from heat and pour mixture over sweet potatoes. Evenly sprinkle top with cheddar cheese and bread crumbs.
Bake uncovered until hot and bubbly, about 20 minutes. Serve promptly.
Makes 8-10 main-dish servings.
