Sunday Slow Suppers: Risotto al Granchio e Gamberi

Yes, I know I missed last week and I still intend to make the veggie stew but in the meantime, I skipped ahead and on Friday night I made Jerry’s Risotto al Granchio e Gamberi.

The original recipe called for 6T olive oil but I cut that down to 2T. And at 6 servings (about 8 oz each), this came in at 7 points a serving (with the 6T it would be 10 points). I also used canned tomatoes as winter tomatoes suck. I drained the canned, diced tomatoes and measured 1 cup. Otherwise, everything was the same.

I found the crab meat I bought a bit fishy or strong in taste and may make this again with better quality crab or only shrimp. Oh, and I used rock shrimp, which I didn’t bother to chop, and found to be sweet and delicious.

Shrimp and Crab Risotto

Risotto al Granchio e Gamberi

Ingredients:

2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
6 Tbs. olive oil (I used 2T)
1/2 lb. shrimp, peeled, deveined and each cut into 4 or 5 pieces (I used rock shrimp)
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
6 cups chicken or fish broth or water (I used chicken stock)
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cups medium-grain rice such as arborio, vialone nano or carnaroli
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped (about 1 cup) – (in winter, I used canned, drained)
1/2 lb. fresh-cooked crabmeat, picked over to remove any shell fragments

Directions

In a saucepan over medium heat, sauté the garlic and 2T of the parsley in 2T (I used 1T) of the olive oil, stirring once or twice, until the garlic is fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the shrimp, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, just until the shrimp are pink, about 2 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to a plate and set aside. Add the broth to the saucepan and bring just barely to a simmer.

In a large saucepan or risotto pan over medium heat, warm 3T (I used 1T) of the oil. Add the onion and sauté until tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until the kernels are hot and coated with oil, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and continue to cook, stirring often, until the liquid is absorbed.

Add the broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and making sure the liquid has been absorbed before adding more. When the rice is about half cooked, stir in the tomatoes, salt and pepper. The risotto is done when the rice grains are creamy on the outside and firm yet tender to the bite, 20 to 25 minutes total. Rice varies, so you may not need all of the broth or you may need more. If more liquid is required, use hot water.

Stir in the shrimp and crabmeat and cook, stirring, just until heated through, about 2 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Remove the risotto from the heat. Stir in the remaining 1T (I skipped the oil) each oil and parsley. Spoon the risotto into warmed soup bowls and serve immediately.

Serves 6 to 8