Ingredients:
- 1 lb Raw Shrimp (medium, peeled & deveined)
- 8 oz Lump Crab Meat (fresh or high-quality canned)
- 2 medium Shallots, finely minced
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup Dry White Wine (e.g., Pinot Grigio)
- 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp Lemon Zest
- 4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 4 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour
- 4 cups Whole Milk, warmed
- 1 cup Fish or Vegetable Stock
- 1 cup Gruyère Cheese, grated
- Pinch Freshly Grated Nutmeg
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste
- 12 Lasagna Noodles (Oven-ready or pre-boiled)
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated (for topping)
- 1 Tbsp Butter (for greasing dish)
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. If using dried lasagna sheets, boil them al dente now.
- In a large skillet, melt 1 Tbsp butter over medium heat. Sauté minced shallots until soft. Add garlic for 1 minute. Add shrimp and cook until just pink (about 2-3 minutes). Deglaze the pan with white wine, scraping up any browned bits. Remove shrimp and shallots from heat; set aside.
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the remaining 4 Tbsp butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour continuously for 2 minutes to create a nutty-smelling roux.
- Gradually whisk in the warm milk, ensuring no lumps form. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Stir in the fish/vegetable stock, Gruyère, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
- Stir half of the cooked shrimp/shallot mixture and half of the fresh parsley into the béchamel sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Begin assembly: Spread a thin layer of the béchamel sauce across the bottom of the prepared dish. Place a layer of pasta sheets over the sauce.
- Layer one-third of the remaining béchamel sauce, followed by half of the reserved shrimp/shallot mixture and half of the crab meat. Repeat this layering sequence (Pasta, Sauce, Seafood).
- Place the final layer of pasta sheets on top. Cover completely with the final layer of sauce.
- Sprinkle the top evenly with the grated Parmesan cheese and the remaining lemon zest.
- Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes until the top is beautifully golden brown and bubbling.
- Let the lasagna rest on the counter for a crucial 15 minutes before slicing and serving to allow the layers to set.