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Saffron Risotto with Crab and Green Olives
You've heard the saying, or something like it:
The only way to make risotto is to hire an old Italian cook to stand at the
stove all day stirring. Now we know what an exaggeration that was. Sure, you
have to be careful, stirring occasionally and adding the liquid in batches, but
risotto isn't nearly as laborious as we were taught. Now that the burden's
lifted, we have time to play with the ingredients and flavors; this one gets a
nice zip with lemon crab, brown butter, and olives.
Makes 4 side dish servings
Ingredients:
3 cups chicken stock
2 teaspoons saffron threads
8 tablespoons butter, divided
1 fennel bulb, cored and julienned
1 small yellow onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
12 large green olives, pitted and chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 sage leaves, roughly chopped
juice of 1 lemon (about 1/4 cup)
8 ounces fresh lump crabmeat
Preparation:
Bring the stock to a boil in a saucepan over
medium-high heat. Turn heat to very low and add the saffron, stirring to
dissolve. Keep mixture hot.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a heavy bottomed, 3 quart
saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the fennel, onion, garlic, and salt; cook,
stirring occasionally, until the fennel and onions are translucent, 8 to 10
minutes. Add the rice, stirring to coat the grains with butter.
Stir in the wine and adjust heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until
almost all the liquid is absorbed. Add enough hot stock to cover the surface of
the rice and stir it in; simmer, stirring occasionally, until almost all the
liquid is absorbed. Add more stock to cover the surface of the rice and stir it
in; simmer, adjusting heat as necessary so that the liquid absorbs into the rice
(rather than evaporates away). Repeat until the rice is al dente and almost all
the stock has been added, 15 to 18 minutes.
When the rice is al dente, remove from heat. Stir in the olives and cheese, and
season with salt and pepper. Keep warm while you prepare the topping.
To make the crab topping, heat the remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a small
sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the sage and cook until the butter begins
to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and
crabmeat. Season with salt and pepper.
If the risotto has thickened while standing, stir in any remaining hot stock to
loosen it. Divide the risotto among serving bowls, and top each with the crab
mixture.
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