🇨🇱 Chilean Cuisine

Pastel de Jaiba

Chilean Crab Gratin

Prep Time 25 min

Servings 4

Difficulty Medium

Calories 366 kcal

A rich, creamy baked casserole of fresh crab meat mixed with bread crumbs, onion, and cream, topped with Parmesan and baked golden in individual shells.

Ingredients

500g fresh crab meat
1 large onion, finely diced
2 tbsp butter
200ml heavy cream
100ml milk
3 tbsp breadcrumbs
2 tbsp Parmesan, grated
1 tsp sweet paprika
Salt, white pepper
Fresh parsley, chopped
1 egg yolk

Instructions

1 Sauté onion in butter until translucent. Add paprika and cook 30 seconds.
2 Add crab meat, toss gently 2 min. Season with salt and white pepper.
3 Stir in cream, milk, and half the breadcrumbs. Cook until mixture thickens slightly.
4 Remove from heat, fold in egg yolk and parsley.
5 Divide among oven-safe shells or ramekins. Top with remaining breadcrumbs and Parmesan.
6 Bake at 200C for 15-18 min until golden and bubbly. Serve immediately.

Did You Know?

In coastal Chile, pastel de jaiba is traditionally baked in the cleaned shell of the crab itself, turning the shell into a natural serving vessel.