Second course in our Venetian feast 🦀 still had some of our mega crab claw haul in the freezer, plus the stock we’d made from our crab and lobster shells. The most important thing is the stock, the fresh crab was just an over-the-top bit of excess, would’ve been just as delicious without it.
To make a basic shellfish stock:
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
Crab and/or lobster shells (and all the bits left over after the meat has been removed)
A glass of white wine
1tbsp Tom purée OR 200ml passata or tinned tomatoes
About 800ml water
In a large casserole soften the onion and garlic in olive oil for 3 minutes, then add the shells and cook for about 5 minutes or so, stirring, until the shells are catching a bit and nice and hot.
Pour on the wine, bring to the boil and simmer for a couple of minutes then add the purée/tomatoes and stir in for a minute before adding the water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes then strain into a clean saucepan and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half its original volume so you’re left with about 500ml.
You can pimp this basic recipe with other vegetables- fennel/celery/parsley stalks etc.
For risotto for 2:
Half a white onion
1 clove of garlic
1tbsp olive oil
40g butter
150g risotto rice
100ml white wine
500ml shellfish stock
20g Parmesan, finely grated
A handful of parsley, finely chopped
Finely chop the onion and garlic and gently sauté in half the butter and the olive oil for 5 minutes then stir through the rice to coat in the buttery juices. Tip in the wine and cook, stirring until it has been absorbed. Add the stock a little at a time stirring and waiting for it to be absorbed by the rice before adding more. If you run out of stock just add hot water and/or a little more wine. When the rice is cooked through but still retains a little ‘bite’ take off the heat and beat in the remaining butter, Parmesan and parsley.
