Gourmet Seafood Crêpes Béchamel (Printable)
Elegant seafood crêpes with creamy béchamel sauce, combining delicate French crêpes with premium seafood filling for a sophisticated meal.
# What You’ll Need:
→ For the Crêpes
01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 2 large eggs
03 - 1 1/4 cups whole milk
04 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
05 - 1/4 tsp 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 tbsp unsalted butter
11 - 1 clove garlic, minced
12 - 1/4 cup heavy cream
13 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
14 - Zest of 1/2 lemon
15 - Salt and pepper, to taste
→ For the Béchamel Sauce
16 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
17 - 2 tbsp 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
# How-to Steps:
01 - Whisk together flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Add eggs, then gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Stir in melted butter. Let rest for 20 minutes at room temperature.
02 - Melt butter in a small saucepan 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 an 8-inch nonstick skillet 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 - Melt butter in a skillet 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 Advice:
01 -
- The combination of delicate crêpes and velvety homemade béchamel creates an incredibly luxurious texture that tastes like something from a French bistro
- Despite their elegant presentation, these crêpes come together faster than you might expect, especially if you prep the components ahead
- The filling is endlessly adaptable, so you can adjust the seafood combination based on what looks fresh at your market
02 -
- Crêpe batter must rest for at least 20 minutes, or you will end up with tough, rubbery pancakes instead of delicate folds
- Warm milk incorporated into your roux prevents lumps in the béchamel, so do not skip this simple step
- The crêpes can be made a day ahead and stacked with parchment paper, which actually makes assembly much easier
03 -
- Use an 8-inch skillet for perfectly sized crêpes, and keep a small bowl of melted butter nearby for brushing the pan between each one
- Grate your own Gruyère rather than buying pre-grated cheese, as it melts so much more beautifully into that golden crust