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White Fish Gratin in Seashells Recipe (Glacier Bay National Park)

By: Author Bram Reusen

Posted on Last updated:

White fish gratin in scallop shells recipe inspired by: Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska (alternatively: Kenai Fjords National Park, Channel Islands National Park or Acadia National Park)

If you’ve looked through my national park-inspired recipes, you’ve probably noticed there are quite a few recipes inspired by Glacier Bay National Park.

There are two very good reasons for that. One, Glacier Bay is home to an incredible variety of fish species (and fishing is allowed in the park). And two, I absolutely love cooking with fish.

So naturally, I can’t stop adding fish and seafood recipes that are inspired by Glacier Bay’s abundance of delicious fish!

From massive halibut and countless cod to Dolly Varden char and all five Pacific salmon species, the nutrient-rich waters of this spectacular national park positively teem with fish and other marine creatures like crab, mussels and shrimp.

This white fish gratin in seashells recipe is another mouthwatering Glacier Bay fish recipe. Unlike my seafood lasagna or halibut with scalloped potatoes, however, this is an appetizer.

Served with a few slices of freshly toasted baguette and topped with some curly parsley, it’s a stunning and, above all, unforgettably creamy fish dish.

If you’re looking for an appetizer that’ll leave a long-lasting impression on your guests and set the tone for the feast you’re preparing, it doesn’t get much better than this white fish gratin in seashells!

White fish gratin in seashells recipe with baguette slices

White Fish Gratin in Seashells

  • Prep time: 30 minutes
  • Cook time: 15 minutes
  • Total time: 45 minutes
  • Servings: 6
  • Calories per serving (one seashell): 371

A creamy velouté sauce with mushrooms is poured over bitesize pieces of white fish (halibut and cod in this case). Topped with freshly grated cheeses, the seashells are baked in the oven until you get crispy gratin.

As impressive as this dish looks when it comes out of the oven, wait until you taste it!

I guarantee that everyone who tries this will rave about it for a long, long time. They might even ask you for the recipe, in which case, you can easily point them here!

Necessary Kitchen Tools

White fish gratin in seashells recipe with a baguette
Yield: 6 servings

Glacier Bay White Fish Gratin in Seashells Recipe

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Served with a few slices of freshly toasted baguette and topped with some curly parsley, this white fish gratin is a stunning and unforgettably creamy appetizer that reflects the richness of the waters of Glacier Bay National Park.

Ingredients

  • 6 oz halibut, cut into bitesize pieces
  • 6 oz cod, cut into bitesize pieces
  • 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups fish stock
  • 2 tablespoons half-and-half
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
  • 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, freshly grated
  • 1 tablespoon curly parsley (for garnish)
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

Poach Fish

  1. Heat the fish stock in a small pot until it's almost boiling.
  2. Add the pieces of halibut and cod, poach for about 2 minutes.
  3. Remove the fish from the fish stock and set aside. Keep the stock warm.

Make Velouté

  1. Make a roux. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a large pot. Once butter is sizzling, add the flour and stir thoroughly with a whisk until well-combined.
  2. Once the butter-flour mixture gets a "cookie scent", add half of the warm fish stock. Keep stirring constantly until the sauce thickens. Add the rest of the fish stock and stir until the sauce is smooth. Making this velouté takes about 6-7 minutes.
  3. Add half of the cheeses to the velouté and stir until melted.
  4. Add the lemon juice and half-and-half to the cheesy velouté. Stir until combined.

Sauté Mushrooms

  1. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the mushrooms and cook until most of their liquid is released, about 5 minutes.
  3. Stir in the garlic and season with salt and pepper.

Finish Seashells

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
  2. Add the mushrooms to the velouté and stir until combined.
  3. Taste and season with salt and pepper. (Very important!)
  4. Divide the pieces of fish equally across the six seashells on a baking sheet.
  5. Gently pour the sauce over the fish. Be liberal, fill each seashell almost to its edges.
  6. Sprinkle the rest of the cheeses on top.
  7. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes until cheeses are melted.
  8. Remove from oven and serve immediately with some fresh slices of baguette and topped with curly parsley.
  9. Enjoy! (But be careful, the seashells will be hot!)

TIP: When you place the seashells on the baking sheet to fill them, put a crumpled piece of aluminum foil underneath each shell. This keeps them balanced and prevents them from tilting and the filling from spilling out.

Notes

Note 1: I used Pacific halibut and Pacific cod in this recipe, but you can use other types of white fish as well. Salmon would be amazing in this recipe, too, as would scallops and crab.

Note 2: If you don't have any fish stock, you can use low-fat milk instead.

Nutrition Information

Yield

6

Serving Size

1 seashell
Amount Per Serving Calories 371Total Fat 16.2gSaturated Fat 8.4gCholesterol 112mgSodium 628mgCarbohydrates 4.6gFiber 0.7gSugar 0.8gProtein 50.6g

A general nutrition calculator was used to determine the nutritional information of this recipe, which is meant solely as an indication of the dish's nutritional values. Depending on specific ingredients, quantities used and/or serving size, the ultimate dish you end up making may have different nutritional aspects. Please consider the information provided here only as guidance and not as an absolute fact.

© Bram
Cuisine: Fish and Seafood / Category: Recipes
White fish gratin in seashells on a baking sheet
If You Decide to Make This Creamy Glacier Bay National Park-Inspired White Fish Gratin Recipe in Seashells at Home, Feel Free to Tell Everyone About It Below! Happy Cooking!

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