Seafood Casserole

Prep time: 15 minutes (if you choose to use frozen, prepped seafood)

30 minutes ( if you've chosen fresh unprepped seafood)

Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

Filling:

• 1 pound of fresh muscles ( or a package of 12oz frozen deshelled muscles)

• 12oz of fresh scallops (or a package of 12oz frozen scallops)

• 1 pound of fresh large shrimp ( or a package of large deveined and depealed frozen shrimp)

• 1 cup of shredded imitation crab meat

• 1 pound of fresh cod ( or 3 medium frozen cod filets)

• 1/2 minced sweet onion

• 1-2 large cloves of garlic grated

• 1/2 tbsp of paprika powder

• 1 tsp of garlic powder

• 1/2 tsp of onion powder

• 2-3 tbsp of fresh parsley (1/2 tbsp of dried parsley)

• 2-3 tbsp of fresh chives (1/2 tbsp of dried chives)

• 1/2 cup of milk (or cream)

• 1/2 cup of white wine

• 1/4 cup of vegetable stock (or fish stock)

• 1 stick of butter

• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• Salt and pepper to taste (remember the Ritz crackers have salt along with the butter and cheese)

Topping:

• 2 sleeves of Ritz crackers crushed

• 3/4 cup of Panko bread crumbs

• 1 stick of butter

• 1 tsp of parsley

• 1 tsp of chives

• 1 tsp of chili powder

• 1 tsp of paprika

• 1/3 of a cup of shredded imitation crab meat

• Salt and pepper to taste (remember the Ritz crackers have salt along with the butter and cheese)

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit

Place a large skillet or pan over medium high heat and melt a stick of butter.

While the butter is melting, in a large bowl all your scallops, crab meat, cod, shrimp, and muscles stir them together and set aside. (TIP: I like to take the liquid that has come from each of the containers and put them together in a separate bowl. I add this into the sauce, a tbps at a time, later for extra flavor.)

Once the butter has melted add in the wine, minced onions, and garlic. Let the wine reduce, to about half, and the onions become translucent. Then add in the stock and dairy. (TIP: If you've grated your own Parmesan cheese, leave the rind in with the sauce mixture for flavor and remove once the sauce is complete.) Add in your spices and the Parmesan cheese. Stir and bring the burner down to low heat. Let the sauce reduce until its slightly thick, not goopy, then remove from the heat. (TIP: If you find your sauce is too salty add in milk a tbsp at a time, until you've reached your desired taste.)

Take your large bowl of seafood filling and pour it into a large baking dish, then pour in your sauce and set it aside.

In another large bowl melt a stick of butter. To the melted butter add in your Ritz crackers, Panko, crab, and spices. Stir well until the mixture becomes damp. Layer the mixture on top of the seafood filling.

Pop the dish into the oven to bake for 13 minutes, then switch the oven to broil and leave the dish in there for the remaining 2 minutes (this gives you that crunchy topping.)

Remember to have fun and explore in the kitchen! If you want to swap out any of these ingredients or perhaps make this dish spicy give it a try. Being adventurous is half the fun.

xoxo,

Zaura

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