DECADENT SEAFOOD CASSEROLES WITH NEWBURG SAUCE AND GARLIC PARMESAN BREADCRUMBS

To make the breadcrumbs, pulse the garlic, parmesan, bread, salt and pepper in a food processor until it reaches the texture of coarse meal. Drizzle in the olive oil and butter.  Pulse again until the breadcrumbs are evenly ‘glazed’.  Add the parsley and pulse several times more until the parsley is evenly distributed throughout the breadcrumbs – but do not over mix or the crumbs will turn green in color (you want to see flecks of parsley throughout).  Set aside.

To prepare the seafood, melt the butter in a large deep skillet.  Add the shrimp to the pan and cook for 1 minute in a single layer.  Flip and cook for 30 seconds more.  Remove the shrimp from the pan with a slotted spoon to a bowl and set aside.  Note – the shrimp will not be cooked through.  Repeat with the scallops and add them to the bowl with the shrimp.

Add the haddock filets and cook for 1 minute on each side.  Remove them to a plate and set aside.  Again, they will not be cooked through and will finish cooking in the oven.  This process is infusing great seafood flavor into the butter and allowing the seafood to release some of the moisture into the sauce.

Add the lobster meat to the pan and simply toss to coat for 10-20 seconds.  The lobster is already cooked so you only want to coat it with butter.  Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.

To make the sauce, bring the pan drippings to a low boil and add the garlic, green pepper, and mushrooms to the pan.  Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the veggies are soft and fragrant.  Add the flour, salt, and black pepper to the pan and whisk until a smooth pasty-like sauce forms.  Add 1 cup of the stock, the heavy cream, and sherry to the pan.  Bring to a boil and whisk, whisk, whisk until a smooth creamy sauce has formed.  Gradually add as much of the remaining ½ cup of stock as needed to create a sauce with a consistency similar to a thick gravy.

To form the casseroles, coat 8-10, 6-8 ounce ramekins or small baking dishes with nonstick spray.  Spread about ¼ cup of the breadcrumbs in the bottom of each dish and then top with a piece of the fish.  Then, layer/place the scallops, shrimp, and lobster around and on top of the fish (stir any juices that have collected into the sauce).

Ladel the sauce over the seafood in each ramekin and then top with another ¼ cup of the crumbs to cover.  Drizzle the remaining stick of melted butter over the tops of the casseroles.

Place the casseroles on a large baking sheet (or 2 medium ones) and place them in the preheated oven (the baking sheet makes them easier to transport in and out of the oven).  Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown and bubbling.  Squeeze the quartered lemon over the tops of each and garnish with parsley.  DEVOUR!!

*Note – any combination of different types of seafood works if you want to mix it up!  If you just want fish and shrimp or prefer crab over lobster or like salmon instead of haddock, etc… You just need to have seafood with the same approximate cook-time so everything cooks evenly!