Ah! So you want to incorporate cream cheese into a seafood cassolette. Perfect — it adds a rich, velvety texture and slightly tangy flavor, giving the dish a luxurious but slightly different twist than just cream.
Here’s an adjusted gourmet seafood cassolette recipe using cream cheese:
Seafood Cassolette with Cream Cheese
Ingredients
Seafood:
- 6 large scallops, cleaned
- 6 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 6 oz (170 g) crab or lobster meat (optional)
- 4 mussels or clams, cooked and shelled (optional)
Sauce:
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 small shallot, finely minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ cup (120 ml) dry white wine
- 3 oz (85 g) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream (optional for extra silkiness)
- ½ tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- ½ tsp tarragon (optional)
Topping:
- ¼ cup (25 g) breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp grated Parmesan or Gruyère
- 1 tsp melted butter
Instructions
1. Cook the seafood
- Pat scallops and shrimp dry.
- Sear scallops 1–2 minutes per side until lightly golden.
- Quickly sauté shrimp until pink (1–2 minutes per side).
- Set aside.
2. Make the cream cheese sauce
- Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat.
- Sauté shallots and garlic for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add white wine; simmer until reduced by half.
- Lower heat and stir in cream cheese until smooth.
- Add cream (if using), Dijon mustard, lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, and tarragon.
- Season with salt and pepper. Simmer gently 1–2 minutes until sauce is smooth and creamy.
3. Combine seafood with sauce
- Add the seared seafood to the sauce and fold gently to coat.
4. Assemble cassolette
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Spoon seafood mixture into small ovenproof ramekins.
- Mix breadcrumbs, cheese, and melted butter; sprinkle over each cassolette.
5. Bake
- Bake 10–12 minutes until topping is golden and sauce is bubbly.
6. Serve
- Garnish with fresh herbs and lemon wedges. Serve immediately.
✅ Tip: Cream cheese gives a slightly tangy richness. If you want it extra smooth, beat the cream cheese with a little milk or cream before adding it to the sauce.
If you want, I can make an even lighter, ultra-creamy version entirely using cream cheese instead of heavy cream, which makes it feel like a Michelin-star appetizer.
Do you want me to do that version too?
