Shellfish Crêpes in Wine-Cheese Sauce

Made and assembled in advance, this elegant baked dish of shrimp and crab crêpes in a wine and Swiss cheese sauce is an ideal entrée for a dinner party.

Recipe Ingredients:

Filling:
1/2 cup butter or margarine - divided use
2 cups chopped cooked shrimp (about 1 pound)
1 cup (8 ounces) fresh crabmeat
2 green onions, minced
1/4 cup dry vermouth*
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted

Wine-Cheese Sauce:
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup milk
1/3 cup dry vermouth*
3 cups whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese

Crêpes:
4 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 cup cold water
1 cup cold milk
1/2 teaspoon salt

For Assembly:
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
Sliced green onions for garnish (optional)

Cooking Directions:

1. For Filling: Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp, crabmeat, and green onions, and sauté for 1 minute. Stir in vermouth, salt, and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil, and cook 7 minutes or until most of liquid is absorbed. Remove mixture from heat, and set aside.
2. For Wine-Cheese Sauce: Whisk together cornstarch and milk in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. Bring vermouth to a boil in a large skillet, and cook until vermouth is reduced to 1 tablespoon. Remove from heat, and whisk in cornstarch mixture. Add whipping cream, salt, and pepper; cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, 2 minutes or until mixture comes to a boil. Boil 1 minute or until mixture is thickened. Add Swiss cheese; reduce heat, and simmer, whisking constantly, 1 minute or until sauce is smooth. Makes 4 cups.
4. For Crêpes: Process all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides. Cover and chill 1 hour.
5. Place a lightly greased 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until skillet is hot.
6. Pour 3 tablespoons batter into skillet; quickly tilt in all directions so batter covers bottom of skillet.
7. Cook 1 minute or until crêpe can be shaken loose from skillet. Turn crêpe, and cook about 30 seconds. Repeat procedure with remaining batter. Stack crêpes between sheets of wax paper. Makes 2 dozen.
8. For Assembly: Drizzle 1/2 tablespoon melted butter into a 13x9x2-inch baking dish.
9. Stir 2 cups Wine-Cheese Sauce into shrimp mixture. Spoon about 3 tablespoons shrimp mixture down center of each crêpe. Roll up, and place, seam side down, in prepared dish. Spoon remaining 2 cups Wine-Cheese Sauce over crêpes. Sprinkle with Swiss cheese, and dot with remaining 1/4 cup butter. Cover and chill for 3 hours. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
10. Bake in a preheated oven at 450°F (230°C) for 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Garnish, if desired.

Makes 12 (2 crêpe) servings.

*Clam juice may be substituted for vermouth.