Seafood Crepes With A Lobster Champagne Sauce

CREPES WITH SEAFOOD FILLING AND LOBSTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Make the crepes: In a bowl place the flour, whisk in the milk and water, a little at a time. Mix in the eggs, the salt and butter and continue to whisk until smooth. Let stand, covered, 30 minutes. Heat a crepe pan over moderate heat until very hot, brush with melted butter. Add 1/4 cup of batter to center of pan. Tilt pan in all directions, pouring out excess batter into bowl. Cook 30 seconds, or until golden brown. Turn and cook 20 to 30 seconds more. Invert crepe onto plate. Continue to make crepes in the same manner.
• Make the filling: In a skillet, set over moderate heat, melt the butter and cook the shallots until softened. Add the shellfish and cook for 2 minutes. Add the wine and Madeira, simmer, covered, 1 minute. Uncover, increase heat to high and reduce until all the liquid has been evaporated. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in chives.
• Make the white sauce: In a saucepan set over moderately low heat, melt the butter, add the flour and cook, whisking, for 2 minutes. Add the hot milk and salt and pepper to taste, whisking. Bring the liquid to a boil, whisking, and simmer 1 minute. In a small bowl combine the egg yolk and cream. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the yolk mixture. Return to heat and cook, stirring, until very thick. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Fold in shellfish and cheese.
• Make the lobster sauce: In a saucepan set over moderately low heat melt the butter, add the flour and cook, whisking, for 2 minutes. Add the hot lobster stock and salt and pepper to taste, whisking. Bring the liquid to a boil, whisking, and simmer until slightly thickened. Add heavy cream and 3 tablespoons of the lobster butter and simmer, whisking occasionally, for one hour. Whisk in remaining lobster butter.
• To assemble the crepes: Arrange crepe, browned-side down, on counter. Place 1/2 cup filling in center. Fold 2 sides of crepe over mixture so that they meet in the center. Fold top and bottom sides of crepe over so that they meet in the center. Turn crepe over and transfer to a buttered flameproof baking dish. Prepare remaining crepes in the same manner. Cover the crepes with some of the lobster sauce and sprinkle with grated Swiss cheese. Put under a preheated broiler 1 to 2 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
• Remove meat from the lobster, and reserve. Add shells to the hot lobster stock or fish broth, and simmer for 1 hour. Remove shells, and chop into small pieces. Add shells to food processor work bowl (or blender) and add butter. Pulse 5 to 6 times. Return mixture to saucepan and melt butter again. Strain carefully and reserve lobster butter.

SEAFOOD CREPES

Steps:

• In medium bowl, beat all crepe ingredients with wire whisk or hand beater until smooth. For each crepe, lightly butter 7- or 8-inch skillet; heat over medium heat until bubbly. Pour slightly less than 1/4 cup batter into skillet; rotate skillet until batter covers bottom. Cook until light brown; turn and cook other side until light brown. Stack crepes, placing waxed paper between each. Keep crepes covered to prevent them from drying out.
• In 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook mushrooms and 2 tablespoons of the onions in butter, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender. Stir in shrimp, crabmeat, half-and-half and cream cheese. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until cheese is melted.
• Spoon about 1/4 cup seafood mixture down center of each crepe; roll up. Place in 11x7-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish. Sprinkle with Swiss cheese.
• Microwave uncovered on High 4 to 6 minutes or until cheese is melted and crepes are heated through. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons onions.

LOBSTER WITH CHAMPAGNE DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• To make the sauce, pour the champagne into a medium saucepan and add the parsley, thyme, bay leaf and shallots; cook over medium heat until just 1 cup of liquid remains, about 25-30 minutes.
• Strain the liquid and discard the herbs, slowly whisk in the butter, one tablespoon at a time, over low heat.
• When all the butter has been added, season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
• Keep the mixture warm while preparing the lobsters.
• In a large pot, bring to a boil enough salted water to cover the lobsters.
• Remove the rubber bands that hold the claws shut.
• Plunge the lobsters into the water, head first.
• Cover and bring the water back to a boil; cook the lobsters for 10-12 minutes from the time the water returns to a boil.
• Serve lobster with champagne dipping sauce in individual bowls.

ELEGANT SEAFOOD CREPES

Steps:

• Melt 2 Tbsp. of the butter; set aside. Beat eggs and milk in medium bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Add melted butter, the flour and salt; beat until smooth. Let stand 20 min.
• Heat lightly greased medium nonstick skillet on medium heat. Ladle 1/4 cup batter into skillet, tilting pan to form a thin round circle. Cook 1 to 2 min. or until edge of crepe is lightly browned. Carefully turn crepe with spatula; cook an additional 30 sec. Remove from skillet; cover to keep warm. Repeat to make a total of 8 crepes.
• Melt remaining 1 Tbsp. butter in small saucepan on medium heat. Add garlic; cook and stir 2 min. Gradually add cream cheese, stirring until completely melted. Add shrimp, crabmeat and tomato sauce; stir. Cook 10 min. or until heated through. Spoon 1/3 cup of the seafood mixture down center of each crepe; roll up. Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg.

LOBSTER CRISPS IN CHAMPAGNE-DILL SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in small saucepan. Brush gyoza on both sides with butter. Arrange on baking sheet. Bake until golden, about 8 minutes. Cool; wrap crisps airtight.
• Cook lobster in large pot of boiling salted water until just cooked through, about 8 minutes. Transfer lobster to large bowl. Let stand 15 minutes. Working over bowl to catch juices, twist lobster tails and claws from body. Crack shells and carefully remove lobster meat. Cover and refrigerate lobster meat.
• Place all lobster shells and juices in large saucepan. Add Champagne, 2 cups water, shallots and tomato paste. Simmer until liquid is reduced to 1 cup, about 1 hour. Strain liquid; return to same pan. Add cream; simmer until sauce is reduced to 1/3 cup, about 6 minutes. (Crisps, lobster and sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead. Store crisps at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate sauce.)
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add fennel and carrots; sauté 3 minutes. Add leek and sauté until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Cut lobster tail crosswise into 8 medallions. Add all lobster to skillet. Cover; cook just until heated through, about 2 minutes. Mix in 2 teaspoons dill. Season with salt and pepper.
• Rewarm sauce over low heat. Whisk in 2 tablespoons butter and 2 teaspoons dill. Season with salt and pepper.
• Arrange crisps, lobster, and vegetable mixture on 2 plates. Spoon sauce over.

SEAFOOD CANNELLONI

Steps:

• Make sauce:
• Cook shallot, carrot, celery, reserved shrimp shells, and reserved scallop muscles in 3 tablespoons butter in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and pale golden, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine and boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 1/4 cup, 6 to 8 minutes. Add water, seafood glaze (if using), and parsley sprigs and simmer, covered, 30 minutes.
• Discard parsley and purée stock, including shrimp shells, in 2 batches in a blender (use caution when blending hot liquids). Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing on and discarding solids.
• Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in cleaned saucepan over moderately low heat, then add flour and cook roux over low heat, stirring, 3 minutes. Add warm seafood stock all at once, whisking, and bring to a boil, whisking. Add 1/2 cup cream and gently simmer sauce, whisking occasionally, 10 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Transfer 1/2 cup sauce to a bowl set in a larger bowl of ice and cold water to cool for filling.
• Make seafood filling:
• Cut one third of shrimp and one third of scallops into 1/4-inch pieces and toss with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Purée remaining shrimp and scallops in a food processor with Cognac, cooled 1/2 cup sauce, remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add remaining 1/2 cup cream and pulse just until combined. Transfer mousse to a large bowl and stir in shrimp and scallop pieces and chives.
• Cook pasta and assemble cannelloni:
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Boil lasagne noodles a few at a time in a large pot of boiling salted water , stirring to separate, until al dente, about 2 minutes for fresh noodles or about 6 minutes for no-boil. Gently transfer noodles with tongs and a slotted spatula to a large bowl of cold water to stop cooking, then lift out, shaking off water, and lay flat on dry kitchen towels (not terry cloth). Spread 1/3 cup mousse over each noodle, leaving a 1/2-inch border on both short ends. Starting with a short end, loosely roll up each noodle.
• Spread about 1/2 cup sauce on bottom of casserole dish and arrange cannelloni, seam sides down, snugly in 1 layer over sauce. Pour remaining sauce over cannelloni and bake, covered with foil, in middle of oven until sauce is bubbling and filling is just cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. (To test filling for doneness, insert a metal skewer into a cannelloni and hold it there 5 seconds. Remove skewer and press it against your bottom lip: If metal is warm, casserole is hot all the way through and filling is cooked.)
• Preheat broiler.
• Remove foil and broil cannelloni about 3 inches from heat until brown spots appear, 3 to 5 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
• Available at some supermarkets, specialty foods shops, and More Than Gourmet (800-860-9395).

SEAFOOD CREPES BEARNAISE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the milk, eggs and butter. Combine flour and salt; add to milk mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour., Heat a lightly greased 10-in. nonstick skillet over medium heat; pour 1/4 cup batter into the center of skillet. Lift and tilt pan to coat bottom evenly. Cook until top appears dry; turn and cook 15-20 seconds longer. Remove to a wire rack. Repeat with remaining batter, greasing skillet as needed. When cool, stack crepes with waxed paper or paper towels in between., Prepare bearnaise sauce according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook scallops in butter over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until scallops are firm and opaque. Add the shrimp, crabmeat and bearnaise sauce; heat through. Set aside 1/2 cup filling., Spread 1/3 cup filling down the center of each crepe; fold sides and ends over filling and roll up. Place in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Spoon reserved filling over top; sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 10-15 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.

SEAFOOD CREPES

Steps:

• For crepes;.
• Whisk dry ingredients together. Mix in eggs, milk and butter. With a hand beater mix until smooth.
• In an 8" skillet or crepe pan, lightly brush with butter, heat until bubbly on medium heat, pour a scant 1/4 cup batter and, swirl it around to coat the pan. Cook until top is dry and bottom is light brown. Flip and cook the other side. Stack on top of each other and keep warm. * tip*You can easily do the crepes ahead and stack them with waxed paper between each one, refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
• Saute the mushrooms and green onion in butter until tender. Put the seafood, 1/2 and 1/2, cream cheese and parsley in the pan, over medium heat, until the cheese has melted. Pour in Sherry.
• In each crepe, place 1/4 cup seafood filling, roll and place in a two baking dishes, 12" x 71/2" x 2", seam side down. Top each pan with the Swiss cheese and place in a 350 degree oven until the crepes are hot, approximately 20 minutes.