Crab Asparagus Risotto Recipes

CRAB & ASPARAGUS RISOTTO

Steps:

• Trim and finely chop the celery, then peel and finely slice the shallots and garlic.
• Place a large, deep frying pan over a medium heat, with 2 tablespoons of oil and 20g of the butter. Stir in the celery, shallot and garlic and fry for 10 to 15 minutes, or until softened and translucent.
• Turn the heat up and stir in the rice. After 1 to 2 minutes, pour in the wine and allow it to bubble away.
• Have your stock hot, ready to go. Once the wine has been absorbed, reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in a ladleful of stock; keep the rice moving to help it release the starch, which gives risotto its signature creaminess.
• Keep adding stock, a ladleful at a time, until the rice is al dente.
• Finely grate in half the lemon zest, stir through the brown crabmeat, then add the remaining butter. Finely grate in the Parmesan, season, beat everything together, then leave it off the heat with the lid on for a couple of minutes.
• Meanwhile, remove the woody ends from your asparagus and halve the spears lengthways. Toss with a drizzle of oil, a squeeze of lemon juice and a pinch of sea salt.
• Stir the white crabmeat through the risotto. Pick and finely chop the parsley leaves and stir through, along with a squeeze of lemon juice.
• Divide between bowls and top with the asparagus, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, an extra grating of parmesan and freshly ground black pepper.

CRAB ARANCINI

Steps:

• For the risotto: Heat a 3 1/2-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the oil and butter. When the butter is melted, add the shallots and garlic; cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the vegetables are soft and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the salt and the rice; stir to coat with the flavors of the pan. Cook for 1 minute, then deglaze with the white wine. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring often, until the wine is almost fully absorbed. Add the broth and stir to combine; cook, stirring often, until the rice is tender but not mushy, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan, mascarpone, lemon zest, crab and chives. Spread the risotto out on a parchment-lined baking sheet and let cool to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely cold.
• For the arancini: Prepare a breading station using three shallow bowls: Place the flour and salt in one bowl, the eggs in another, and the panko in yet another. Using a 1-tablespoon ice cream scoop or spoon, scoop a round of risotto into the palm of your hand and form it into a ball. Roll the ball in the flour, then the egg, and then the panko; make sure the entire ball is well coated. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and repeat with the remaining risotto.
• Add enough oil to a medium saucepan to come 2 inches up the side of the pan. Heat over medium-high until the oil reaches 350 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer. Using a spider or slotted spoon, lower 5 or 6 rice balls into the oil, or as many as the pan will allow without crowding. Fry until deep golden brown and heated through, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Continue with the rest of the rice balls. Serve warm, with marinara alongside for dipping, if desired.

CRAB RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat the butter and oil together in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until soft. Do not brown, they should be translucent. Add the rice and saute for a further 3 to 5 minutes making sure the rice is well coated, Using a ladle, add about 1/2 cup of stock to the rice and stir over a medium heat until the rice is almost dry and all the stock has been incorporated. Repeat this process until the rice is cooked but still has a slight bite. The rice should be creamy and moist, not runny, and the cooking time should be around 30 minutes.
• Just before serving, fold in the crabmeat, chopped chives, and Parmesan. Drizzle sparingly with white truffle oil.

FRESH CRAB AND PEA RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat the stock in a medium saucepan and keep it simmering over low heat.
• In a medium (10 to 11-inch) pot or Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots, fennel, and poblano pepper and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic, thyme, saffron, and red pepper flakes and cook for 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat all the grains with butter and oil. Add the wine and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes, until almost all the liquid has been absorbed. Add 1/2 cup of the simmering stock to the rice and cook, stirring frequently (see Cook's Note). When the stock is almost completely absorbed, continue adding stock, 1/2 cup at a time, simmering the risotto until the stock is absorbed each time before adding more stock. Cook until the rice is al dente; it should take between 25 and 30 minutes.
• When the rice is done, stir in the creme fraiche, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Fold in the crabmeat and peas and cook over low heat for 2 minutes, until the crabmeat is warmed through. Add just enough simmering stock to make the risotto moist and creamy. Serve hot in large, shallow bowls and sprinkle with chives and lemon zest.

ASPARAGUS RISOTTO

Steps:

• Snap the woody ends off the asparagus stalks and tip them into a saucepan with the stock. Put on a low heat to very gently simmer. Meanwhile, cut off the tips of the asparagus, add to the stock for exactly 1 min. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and set aside. Finely slice the rest of the stalks into rounds.
• Heat the oil and half the butter in a heavy, wide pan. Cook the onions gently for 5 mins until soft, stirring often. Add the chopped asparagus stalks and cook for 2 mins more. Add the rice and continously stir for a few minutes until it turns semi-transparent and makes a hissing sound.
• Stir in the wine, if using - it will evaporate almost immediately. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Add the stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring between each addition until it is absorbed, about 15 mins.
• Try the rice - it should feel just cooked with a slight bite to it. Stir in the asparagus tips and any last dregs of stock and cook for 1 or 2 mins more. Remove from the heat and top with the remaining butter and most of the parmesan. Season generously, cover and leave for a few minutes to settle.
• Give the risotto a thorough stir to incorporate the butter and cheese and serve straight away with the remaining parmesan for sprinkling over.

CRAB RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat the stock in a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Melt the butter in a separate medium saucepan, add the onion and garlic, and fry on a low-medium heat for 5 mins until softened but not coloured. Tip in the rice and cook for 1-2 mins until the rice is hot. Add the lemon zest with 1 ladleful of hot stock and stir constantly. Once the stock has been absorbed, continue to add it, a ladleful at a time, until the rice is cooked - this will take around 18 mins.
• When the rice is almost cooked but still has a little bite, tip in the peas, lemon juice and crabmeat, then season and cook for 3 mins more. Once the rice is cooked, turn off the heat, add a knob of butter and a splash more stock, and leave to sit for 2 mins. Sprinkle over the chives and serve with lemon wedges.