Crab risotto with a rich and luxurious feel thanks to butter, Vermouth and saffron, giving it a beautiful golden colour and floral flavour.
Like most of my risotto recipes, this dish is cooked traditionally, but it is very easy and can be prepared and cooked in around 45-50 minutes.
Tinned Seafood and Saffron Risotto
I love cooking and eating risotto. I've got recipes that range from smoked haddock risotto to pea, asparagus and broad bean risotto and black pudding risotto to classics like roasted butternut squash risotto.
My latest offering is a glorious tinned crab risotto cooked with saffron and dry Vermouth.
The flavours are very similar to those that I use in my crab ravioli recipe, but the dish is an awful lot easier to make!
I swear by traditional techniques when I make risotto, I find the whole process cathartic, and it never lets me down.
So be prepared to chill out at the cooker for a while, but don't fret, this is an easy recipe, and it is almost mandatory to sip a glass of wine whilst you stir.
Frequently Asked Questions
What risotto rice should I use?
I prefer to use carnaroli rice when I am cooking risotto for myself, but I test all of my recipes with arborio rice because it is the most commonly available type.
The timings may shift a little, but cooking risotto relies on feel, and there are always time variations.
Can I use fresh dressed crab?
Yes, if you can get your hands on some dressed crab, feel free to use it. Neither the cooking process nor the timing changes.
I would not add brown crab meat to this recipe because it will muddy the beautiful colour of the dish.
Do I have to use Vermouth?
No, you can make this recipe with white wine if you prefer, although the flavour will change considerably. Don't worry, it is still delicious!
If you don't want to cook with alcohol, you can cook this with extra fish stock. The recipe does benefit from the addition of a little acidity, either lemon juice or white wine vinegar at step 8 would work well.
Can I make this in advance?
In theory, yes. This will be fine in the fridge for 2-3 days, and can be treated gently over a medium heat. Although you will need to add a little extra stock.
In practice, I prefer to serve risotto immediately, I think that the texture and flavour holds up much better.
Serving Suggestions
A bowl of risotto is the ultimate curl-up on the settee in front of the TV kinda meal.
It kinda feels fancy, but at its heart, it is simple carby goodness and I like my sides to run with that "vibe".
As a result, I always serve it with some form of bread. Despite the lack of garlic in this recipe, I think that garlic bread or cheesy garlic bread is the perfect accompaniment to this dish.
Although I have a thing for this soft potato focaccia recipe at the moment, and it is awesome with a risotto!
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/stovetop.
- 25cm or 10″ frying pan with a lid. You can improvise a lid with foil if needed.
- 15-17cm (6-7") saucepan.
- Stirring and serving spoons.
- Ladle.
- Grater.
- A combination of weighing scales, measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
Tinned Crab Risotto Recipe with Saffron
Tinned crab meat sits at the heart of this beautiful risotto recipe, Vermouth provides a perfect contrast to the sweet meat, and saffron adds a beautiful colour and subtle floral tones to this simple recipe.
Ingredients
- 125g (⅔ Cup) Risotto Rice
- 50g (1 Medium) Echalion or Banana Shallot
- 50g (3 tablespoon + 1 Tsp) Butter
- 125ml (½ Cup) Dry Vermouth
- ⅛-¼ teaspoon Saffron Strands (Around 0.25g)
- 500-650ml (2-2½ Cups) Fish Stock
- 50g (¾ Cup) Parmesan Cheese
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- Salt as Required
- 145g (5oz) Tin Shredded Crab Meat
- 145g (5oz) Tin Jumbo Crab Meat
- 20g (⅓-½ Packed Cup) Fresh Dill
Instructions
- Cut the shallot in half, peel it and then dice it as finely as you can.
- Heat the fish stock in a small 15-17cm (6-7") saucepan.
- Heat a 25cm or 10" frying pan over a medium heat, and when it is hot, add half of the the butter. When the butter begins to foam add the shallots and cook for 2 minutes without adding any colour.
- Add the risotto rice and cook, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes, the edges of the rice should start to become opaque.
- Sprinkle over the saffron, the black pepper, pour in the vermouth, and stir until almost all of the vermouth has evaporated or absorbed; a starchy residue should start to form in the base of the pan.
- Have a taste of the stock before you get started, and add salt if you think it needs it. Add a ladle of the hot fish stock to the pan and stir again until almost all of the stock has been absorbed and you have a similar white starchy residue in the base of the pan. Repeat until the rice has the tiniest of "bites" but is very nearly cooked. This will be around 23-27 minutes.
- Whilst the risotto is cooking, drain the crab meat from both tins. I like to keep a little of the jumbo crab meat back to garnish the dish and finely chop the dill.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the remaining butter, the crab meat, parmesan cheese, and most of the dill (save a little for garnish). Then add a lid and let it sit for 5 minutes, stir and serve immediately.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 799Total Fat: 31gSaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 158mgSodium: 1531mgCarbohydrates: 67gFiber: 3gSugar: 7gProtein: 43g
Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.