Alaskan King Crab Risotto With Wasabi Tobiko Cavair by "Simon Gault"

• By foodie User FoodieReview
  More recipes by this foodie >
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Course: Main Course
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

More years ago than I care to remember, I dined with a great chef friend of mine, Jason McDonald, in his New Orleans restaurant where he introduced me to tobiko, the Japanese name for flying fish roe. The roe or eggs are small, from 0.5mm–0.8mm. Plain tobiko has a red-orange color, a mild smoky/salty taste and a crunchy texture. The roe is coloured with wasabi (green), ginger (pale orange) or squid ink (black). The
flavours, colours and texture make this one of the most interesting garnishes available. Processed in Japan, it was the very fi rst product I imported into New Zealand. Shipped frozen, it lasts for months in the freezer and even in its frozen state can be easily separated, making it practical to use in small amounts.

1.2 litres fish, crab or vegetable stock
3 tbsp basmati rice
50g salted butter
3 tbsp Pukara extra-virgin olive oil
4 medium shallots, fi nely diced
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1½ cups Arborio rice
200ml white wine
700g Alaskan red king crab meat, removed from the shell and diced
50g Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
30 rocket leaves, fi nely chopped
dash of Tabasco green pepper sauce (jalapeño)
cracked black pepper
salt, preferably Italian herb salt
6 crab claws
6 tbsp wasabi tobiko caviar
1 lemon, cut into 6 wedges

Method

Risotto
In a saucepan, bring the stock, basmati rice and half the butter to the
boil (while the stock itself will be used in the risotto, the basmati rice will
be discarded — see note below). In another saucepan, heat the olive oil
to a shimmer. Add the shallots and garlic and sauté until translucent, then
add the Arborio rice and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring continuously with
a wooden spoon. Add the wine and stir over a low–medium heat until
the rice absorbs the wine. Stir in half a cup of the hot stock, avoiding the
basmati rice in the pan. Continue stirring to ensure the Arborio rice does
not catch. When the liquid has been absorbed, add another half a cup
at a time until all the stock has been absorbed. This process should take
25–30 minutes and the rice should be al dente. Add the crab meat,
grated cheese, remaining butter and the rocket. Season with a dash
of Tabasco sauce and some cracked black pepper and salt (a word of
caution: go easy on the salt because the Tabasco is salty).
assembly
Heat the crab claws in a steamer, oven or microwave. Divide the risotto between the plates and garnish each with 1 tablespoon of wasabi tobiko caviar, a crab claw and a wedge of lemon.

SIMON SAYS Adding the basmati rice to the stock gives the risotto a creamier texture; this is due to the starchiness in the basmati rice being released while cooking in the liquid. Note that the basmati is discarded after making the simple stock. I picked up this invaluable trick while working with a talented young Italian chef on the island of Pantelleria, off Sicily.