Winter melon and shrimp gratin

Prepare the béchamel sauce. Put unsalted butter in a pot and heat over high heat. Once melted, add the sifted flour and stir with a wooden spoon until the flour is no longer powdery. It's ready when it becomes smooth

Add the milk little by little in several batches while stirring to avoid lumps. Once about 1/3 of the total amount has been mixed, increase the heat a little and continue cooking

Scrape down the bottom and sides of the pot with a wooden spoon to prevent burning, then add the milk little by little and mix. Add the salt, white pepper, and nutmeg, and then add the remaining milk little by little

Finally, add the cream and bring to a boil, then remove from heat

Place a bleached cloth over a bowl and pour in [4]. Twist the top edge of the cloth to completely close it, then squeeze the top edge of the cloth to strain out the sauce

Stir the sauce while pouring ice water over it and let it cool. Be careful not to leave it hot as a film will form on the surface. Once it has cooled down sufficiently, the béchamel sauce is ready

Prepare the stewed winter melon soup (see separate recipe).

Make the white sauce. Put 80g of the béchamel sauce (from step 6) and milk in a pot and heat until melted evenly. Add salt and Parmesan cheese, and once mixed, remove from the heat

Spread a thin layer of unsalted butter in a gratin dish and arrange the braised winter melon in soup

Sprinkle salt and white pepper on both sides of the prepared shrimp and place on top of the winter melon

Pour the white sauce from [8] over [10]. Top with Parmesan cheese and shredded unsalted butter, and bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for about 8 minutes

Once golden brown, remove from the oven and top with Italian parsley to taste