6 people
DINNER
Ina Garten Modern Comfort (p. 133)
Fresh lump crabmeat - 16 oz
Seafood stock - 64 oz
Saffron threads - 1⁄2 tsp
Arborio rice - 1 1⁄2 cups
Frozen peas - 8 oz
Unsalted butter - 2 tbl
Creme fraiche - 1⁄2 cup
Shallots - 2
Fennel - 1
Poblano pepper - 1
Garlic - 2 cloves
Thyme - 2 sprigs
Chives - 7 sprigs
White wine - 1 cup
Crab - pick through and remove all shells
Shallots - dice to yield 1/2 cup
Fennel - core and chop to yield 1/2 cup
Poblano pepper - deseed and small-dice to yield 1/2 cup
Garlic - mince to yield 2 tsp
Thyme - mince to yield 1 tsp
Peas - defrost
Chives - mince
Heat the stock in a medium saucepan and keep it simmering over low heat.
In a medium pot or Dutch oven, heat the butter and 2 tbl of 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 the butter oil mixture. 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. 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, which should take between 25 and 30 minutes.
When the rice is done, stir in the creme fraiche, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp 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 bowls, sprinkled with chives.