Foodie Friday Seafood AuGratin

I like to use fresh, if possible, or at least-frozen fresh products but I made a whoopsie! Who knew? Even "fake" seafood (really Pollack trimmings) can be used to make a tasty main dish.

Super Seafood Au Gratin (prep time 45 minutes.  Serves 4)

4 Tb. butter

4 Tb. flour

¼ onion, diced

1 large clove of garlic, diced

2 C. milk

2 C. vegetable broth

1 C. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

½ C. shredded mild white cheddar

2 C. diced seafood* (or ½ C. scallops, 1 C. peeled & deveined shrimp and ½ C. diced fish like haddock, or cod)

¼ tsp grated nutmeg

1 C. sliced mushrooms

salt, pepper

1 Tb. Old Bay seasoning

1 tsp. paprika

cooked white rice or fettuccini

Preheat oven to 375.  Spray a baking pan with non-stick spray.  In a large sauce pan, melt the butter and cook the onions, mushrooms and garlic until tender.  Stir in the flour to make a roux.  Cook until the mixture starts to brown.  Whisk in milk and vegetable stock.  Simmer to thicken.  Stir in the cheeses and seasonings.  Fold in the seafood and pour mixture in the baking pan.  Bake about 30 minutes until seafood is cooked through and the casserole is bubbling and browned on top.  Serve over rice or pasta.

*I actually accidentally bought "fake" giant shrimp for the seafood in this dish that were actually the Pollack stuff they use in "crab stick" when you get Chinese food.  Still, it worked really well.  Pollack is still fish and tastes fine at a super lesser cost. It's just the trimmings from fish on commercial fishing boats that they can't sell as the whole product. They mash it up and form it into the desired-looking "seafood."  Get organic and locally sourced "real seafood", though, if you can.