Crab Stuffed Flounder With Mornay Sauce And Green Beans Almondine Recipes

GREEN BEANS ALMONDINE

Steps:

• Cook 1 pound trimmed, halved green beans in salted boiling water until tender, 3 minutes. Drain; rinse under cold water. Saute 1/4 cup sliced almonds in butter in a skillet over medium heat until golden, 2 minutes; add a pinch of nutmeg. Stir in the beans and 2 tablespoons water; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until warmed through, 2 minutes.

CRAB-STUFFED FLOUNDER ROLLS WITH SHRIMP AND COCKLES

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, fennel bulb and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the oregano and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Increase the heat to medium high, add the wine and cook until it almost completely evaporates, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and clam juice and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are tender and the broth is slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, toss the crab with the lemon zest, 1 tablespoon fennel fronds and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Season the flounder with salt and pepper. Place a packed 1/4 cup of the crab mixture about 2 inches from the widest end of each fillet and tightly roll the fish around the crab; insert a toothpick or small skewer through the center to secure.
• Gently nestle the flounder rolls in the simmering tomato broth. Cover and cook until opaque, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the rolls to a rimmed platter with a slotted spoon and remove the toothpicks; tent with foil and set aside.
• Add the cockles to the simmering tomato broth, cover and cook until they just start opening, about 6 minutes. Stir in the shrimp and cook until just opaque and the cockles are completely open, about 2 more minutes. (Discard any unopened cockles.) Transfer the cockles, shrimp and broth to the platter with the flounder rolls and top with the remaining 1 tablespoon fennel fronds.

CRAB-STUFFED FLOUNDER WITH MORNAY SAUCE AND GREEN BEANS ALMONDINE

Steps:

• For the green beans almondine: Place a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a boil. Working in batches (to avoid crowding the pot and slowing the return a boil), cook the green beans for about 3 minutes, or until al dente. With a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer the green beans directly to an ice-filled bowl and shock to stop cooking. Drain well.
• Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until foaming and beginning to smell nutty. Add the blanched green beans and toss to coat. Add the toasted almonds and season with salt and pepper.
• For the Mornay sauce: Melt the butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and mix with a wooden spoon to make a roux--it should look like wet sand. Cook, stirring, for a couple minutes and then whisk in milk. Bring to a simmer, stirring and scraping the bottom and scorners of the pan, and cook for a few minutes. Season with some salt, pepper and nutmeg. Remove from the heat and add the Gruyere, stirring until fully melted and combined.
• For the crab-stuffed flounder: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, garlic and celery; cook until softened, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Deglaze the pan with the vermouth and hot sauce to taste, and let cook for another minute. Pour the vegetables into a medium bowl and add the breadcrumbs, thyme and Old Bay; mix to combine. Gently fold in the crabmeat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Rinse and pat dry the flounder fillets and lay on a baking sheet. Spread the stuffing along half of each fillet and fold over to enclose. Dot evenly with butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes
• Set the stuffed flounder on serving plates and top with Mornay sauce. Serve with the green beans on the side.