I definitely wanted to make this today as I have PT of Wednesday and exercise class on Thursday.  I am too exhausted by PT to cook.  We usually go to a health food restaurant after class and I’m not particularly hungry for dinner.  I’m hoping this dish will feed him for the next few days.  Note that this recipe calls for seafood stock.  This is a rare find in groceries around here.  Bar Harbor Seafood Stock is available through Amazon.  I thought I had seafood stock in the condensed form in the refrigerator.  I did not.  I used all clam juice which although good, kind of overwhelmed the crab.  If you don’t want to order it, maybe use half clam juice and half vegetable stock.  This is from Ina Garten’s  Modern Comfort Food book.  She says serves 4-6, I say more like 6-8.  

Ingredients:

6-8 C good seafood stock

2 T unsalted butter

2 T EVOO

1/2 C diced shallots (2)

1/2 C chopped fennel, cored

1/2 C seeded and small-diced poblano pepper

2 t minced garlic (2)

1 t fresh thyme leaves

1/2 t saffron threads

1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes

1 1/2 C Arborio rice

1 C dry white wine, Pinot Grigio

1/2 C creme fraiche

Kosher salt and black pepper

16 oz. very good fresh lump crabmeat, picked through for shells.  (By it from Costco, there is never any shells in it.)

1 C frozen peas, defrosted

Minced fresh chives and freshly grated lemon zest, for serving.

Directions:

1. Heat the stock in a medium saucepan and keep it simmering over low heat.
2. In a medium (10-11”) pot or Dutch oven, heat the butter and 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.  
3. 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 had 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 before adding more stock.  Cook until the rice is al dente; it  should take between 25-30 minutes.  
4. When the rice is done, stir in the creme fraiche, 2 t salt, and 1 t black pepper.  (I used only 1 t salt.  Ina tends to over salt.)  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.  
5. Serve hot in large, shallow bowls and sprinkle with chives and lemon zest.