I am off to Sicily and Calabria on Sunday so just a quick post for this week. This is a super simple dish which even my children love. Crab is a relatively luxurious ingredient so this dish is also perfect for dinner parties. Fingers crossed there is decent wi-fi where I am going so I can post about my adventures next week…watch this space.

Risotto al Granchio (crab risotto)

For illustrated step-by-step instructions, click here.

60 ml extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, skin and ends removed and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, skin removed and finely chopped
320 grams risotto rice
60 ml white wine
100 ml tomato passata
620 ml fish stock
10 grams flat-leaf parsley, rinsed, dried, leaves picked and finely chopped
200 grams white crab meat
Sea salt
1. Heat the onion and garlic with the olive oil in a risotto pan or large saucepan over low heat until the onion is translucent and soft, but not coloured (10 to 15 minutes).
2. Add the rice and stir to toast until it makes a squeaking sound, 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Add the white wine, stirring until it evaporates (1 to 2 minutes).
4. Add the passata, 5 grams of salt, the crab, the parsley and 150 mls of stock and stirring continually.
5. When all the broth is absorbed, add another 150 mls and repeat. Keep enough liquid in the pan and stir continuously so that the rice does not stick to the pan and cooks evenly. Keep adding the broth until the rice is cooked (about 20 minutes in total from when the rice was added). It should be firm to bite but not unpleasantly hard. There should be enough liquid to coat the rice but not so much that the rice floats in it. Remove the rice from the heat and serve.