INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
1 lb fresh jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over to remove any bits of shell or cartilage
4 tbsp dried bread crumbs
special equipment: 12 inch gratin dish or 4 mini gratin dishes
DIRECTIONS
In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour a little at a time and stir well, about one minute. Whisk the milk in slowly until it is fully incorporated and lump-free. Whisk in mustard, bring to a simmer, and cook until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, four to five minutes. Season the béchamel with nutmeg and sea salt and white pepper to taste. Preheat the broiler to 450 degrees. Place the crab in a bowl and lightly season it with sea salt and white pepper. Spoon the béchamel over the crab and gently mix. Place the crab and béchamel mixture in a twelve-inch (or divide among four mini gratin dishes) and top with the bread crumbs. Place under the broiler six inches from the heat source and broil until golden brown and bubbling, about two minutes for mini gratin dishes or three minutes for a large dish. Remove and serve hot.
