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Centolla gratinada
Baked king crab with cheese
Centolla gratinada: Ushuaia king crab baked in a creamy sauce under a golden cheese crust
ArgentinianCentolla, the southern king crab hauled from the cold waters of the Beagle Channel, is Ushuaia's pride, and seafood restaurants along the harbour serve it gratinada: sweet chunks of leg meat in a light white sauce, crowned with cheese and browned under a fierce grill. It is rich, so serve it in small dishes as a starter with lemon and a green salad, plus crusty bread for anyone who can eat gluten. Buy cooked, frozen king crab legs or meat and thaw them in the fridge overnight; if you ever cook crab yourself, it must be alive when it goes into the pot. A frequent mistake is a sauce so thick and cheesy that the delicate crab disappears; keep it pourable and the cheese thin. Chef's tip: fold the crab in gently at the end, in big pieces, and let the oven only heat it; it is already cooked and turns stringy if it boils.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 16 oz cooked king crab meatfrom frozen legs, thawed in the fridge, shell and cartilage removed, cut into large chunks
- 1 ⅜ oz butter
- 1 shallotvery finely chopped
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- ½ cup double cream
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- 1 lemonhalf juiced, half in wedges
- 2 ⅛ oz hard grating cheeseArgentine reggianito or Parmesan, finely grated
- 1 tbsp chives (optional)snipped
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Heat the oven grill to high, or the oven to 450°F. Butter 4 small gratin dishes or cleaned crab shells with a little of ¼ oz butter.
Step 3: Whisk 2 tbsp cornstarch into 1 ½ cups whole milk until smooth, pour it into the pan and whisk over a medium heat until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
5 minStep 4: Stir in ½ cup double cream, ¼ tsp ground nutmeg, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp white pepper and a squeeze of ½ lemon juice and simmer for 2 minutes. The sauce should still pour slowly.
2 minStep 5: Take the pan off the heat and fold in 16 oz cooked king crab meat gently, keeping the pieces whole.
Step 6: Spoon into the dishes, scatter 2 ⅛ oz hard grating cheese over the top and set them on a baking tray.
Step 7: Bake or grill until the top is golden and blistered and the sauce bubbles at the edges; the centre should be piping hot (167°F).
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- Protein
- 27 g
- Carbs
- 11 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does centolla gratinada take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of shallot?
- Half an onion per 2 shallots.
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