Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons minced carrot
• 2 tablespoons minced celery
• 2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine
• 1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon, crumbled
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 pound fresh lump crab meat, picked over (about 1 1/2 cups)
• fresh lemon juice to taste
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Accompaniment: lightly toasted thin French bread slices

Instructions

1. Preheat broiler.
2. In a small heavy saucepan cook carrot, celery, and bell pepper in butter over moderate heat, stirring, 1 minute. Add broth, vermouth or wine, and tarragon and boil mixture until liquid is reduced to about 1 tablespoon. Add cream and boil sauce until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in crab meat, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste and divide mixture between two 1-cup shallow baking dishes. Sprinkle Parmesan over crab mixture and set dishes in shallow baking pan. Broil gratin about 4 inches from heat 2 minutes, or until bubbling and golden, and serve with toasts.