Ah, Seafood Cassolette 🦐🦑—an elegant, rich French-inspired dish that’s essentially a seafood casserole with a creamy, flavorful sauce, often served in individual ramekins or small pots. Here’s a classic way to make it.
Seafood Cassolette
Servings: 4
Prep time: 15–20 min
Cook time: 25–30 min
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb (225 g) shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/2 lb (225 g) scallops
- 1/2 lb (225 g) white fish fillet (cod, haddock, or halibut), cut into chunks
- 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup grated Gruyère or Parmesan cheese (optional)
- 4 small ramekins or oven-safe cassolette dishes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Sauté aromatics
- In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat.
- Cook onions and mushrooms until soft (~5 minutes).
- Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Deglaze & make sauce
- Pour in white wine, simmer 2 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Stir in cream, Dijon mustard, parsley, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Simmer 2–3 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
- Add seafood
- Gently fold in shrimp, scallops, and fish chunks.
- Cook 2–3 minutes just until seafood starts to turn opaque (it will finish in the oven).
- Assemble in cassolette dishes
- Spoon mixture into ramekins.
- Sprinkle cheese on top if desired.
- Bake
- Bake 10–12 minutes until bubbly and lightly golden on top.
- Serve
- Garnish with extra parsley.
- Serve hot with crusty bread or over rice.
🔥 Tips
- Use fresh or thawed seafood for best texture.
- Can substitute cream with half-and-half for a lighter version.
- Add a pinch of cayenne or paprika for gentle heat.
- For a richer flavor, finish with a drizzle of sherry before baking.
I can also give a luxury seafood cassolette version with lobster, crab, and a beurre blanc sauce if you want to make it really fancy.
Do you want that version?
