Recipe from Emeril Lagasse of Food Network~

Flounder fillets chock-full of lump crabmeat—delicioso! Luckily we had some leftovers which made for a nice lunch the next day.

OUR NOTES: We used Panko bread crumbs instead of Ritz crackers. Our cooking time was almost double, perhaps in part to the fact that the roulades were packed tightly together in the casserole dish, so try to leave a bit of air space between them.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 pound fresh lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Essence, recipe follows
• 1/4 cup minced yellow onion
• 2 tablespoons minced celery
• 2 tablespoons minced green bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 3/4 teaspoon Emeril’s Hot Sauce or other red hot sauce
• 3/4 cup crushed butter crackers (recommended: Ritz)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 (6 to 8-ounce) flounder fillets, skinless, pin bones removed
• 2 lemons, 1 cut into thin slices and 1 cut into wedges for serving
• 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, for drizzling over the fish

Directions

1. Position rack in center of oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Using 1/2 tablespoon of the butter, grease a shallow baking dish and set aside.
2. Place the crabmeat in a large bowl and season with 1 teaspoon of the Essence. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
3. In a medium skillet, melt the remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of the parsley and the garlic, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool.
4. Add the cooled vegetables to the crabmeat and toss gently to combine. Add the mayonnaise, beaten egg, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce and stir gently with a large wooden spoon. Add 1/2 cup of the cracker crumbs, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and pepper, and stir gently, being careful not to break up the crabmeat.
5. Season each fish fillet with 1/2 teaspoon of Essence and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and place the fillets skin side up on a work surface. Divide the crabmeat filling evenly among the centers of the fish fillets and, using your hands, roll the fillets up to encase the filling. Secure with a toothpick, if necessary.
6. Place the fillets, seam side down, in the prepared baking dish and top with slices of lemon. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of the cracker crumbs evenly over the tops of the fillets. Drizzle with the melted butter. Using oven mitts or pot holders, place the baking dish in the oven and bake until lightly golden and cooked through, about 20 minutes.
7. Using oven mitts or pot holders, remove the baking dish from the oven and serve the fish using a metal spatula. Garnish with the remaining tablespoon of parsley and serve with additional lemon wedges, if desired.

Emeril’s ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup