Crab and lemon risotto with caramelised fennel and preserved lemon gremolata

Serves 4 Starters and mains

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Method

Preheat the oven to 210C/ 190C F/Gas 6. Dice 1 fennel bulb and finely slice the other along its length. Finely chop the very top and most of the fronds of both bulbs to use in the gremolata, reserving a few fronds for garnish.

Lay the sliced fennel on a baking sheet and drizzle with half the oil. Pour over the lemon juice, season with salt and scatter the sugar over. Roast for around 25 minutes until golden and caramelised. Set aside for the garnish.

Bring the stock to a simmer in a saucepan. Heat the remaining oil and the butter in a large deep frying pan or wok. Add the onion, leek and diced fennel and cook for around 10 minutes until softened but not coloured.

Add the rice and stir for 2-3 minutes until all the grains are coated and glossy. Pour in the wine and stir constantly until it has been absorbed.

Add a good ladleful of hot stock, and bubble until it has been absorbed, stirring constantly. Add another ladleful of stock and repeat, until all the stock has been absorbed and the rice is creamy but still has a little bite. Stir in the mascarpone until fully incorporated and then stir in the lemon zest and the brown and white crab meat. Leave to stand for a minute or two.

Mix the ingredients for the gremolata together in a bowl, along with the chopped fennel tops and fronds.

Serve the risotto with the gremolata scattered over and garnished with the reserved fennel fronds.

This recipe was taken from the March 2022 issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe, click here.