Cornish Crab and Confit Lemon Risotto

A light and delicious Cornish Crab and Confit Lemon Risotto that’s easy to make and gorgeous to eat!

Ingredients – Serves 4

For the Confit Lemon

1 Amalfi lemon, quartered and thinly sliced
10g/1/3oz sugar
50ml/2fl oz olive oil
salt

For the Risotto

1 tbsp olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
700ml/1¼ pint vegetable stock
250g/9oz carnaroli or arborio rice
100ml/3½fl oz white wine
80g/3oz unsalted butter, diced
80g/3oz Parmesan, finely grated
40g/1½oz mascarpone
1 Amalfi lemon, zest only
salt

For the Crab Salad

200g/7oz handpicked white crab meat
3 tbsp confit lemon, from above
3 baby courgettes, thinly sliced
2 tsp finely chopped chives
1 Amalfi lemon, zest only
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

To serve

baby basil cress (optional)
drizzle extra virgin olive oil
1 Amalfi lemon, zest only

Method
Step 1
To make the Confit Lemon, place the lemon slices in a lidded container and sprinkle over the sugar and a pinch of salt. Cover with olive oil and mix well, place the lid on and put in the fridge overnight.

Step 2
To make the risotto, heat the oil in a medium sauté pan and fry the shallots over a low-medium heat, until softened.

Step 3
Place the vegetable stock in a saucepan and keep warm over a medium heat.

Step 4
Add the rice to the shallots and stir well, pour in the wine and let it evaporate.

Step 5
Add the hot stock a ladle at a time, stirring and allowing the stock to be absorbed before adding more. It should take around 20 minutes to add all of the stock.

Step 6
Remove the risotto from the heat and add the butter and Parmesan. Mix well with a plastic or wooden spoon until smooth and creamy.

Step 7
Add the mascarpone and mix again. Check the seasoning and add more salt if needed, then sprinkle over the lemon zest and stir through.

Step 8
To make the crab salad, place the crab meat in a bowl with the confit lemon, courgettes and chives. Season with salt, then add the lemon zest and olive oil and mix well.

Step 9
To serve, divide the risotto between four serving bowls and spoon the crab salad over the top. Finish with the baby basil cress, lemon zest and a drizzle of olive oil.

Shop Ingredients

W Harvey & Sons handpicked White Crab Meat

With thanks to Truro and Penwith College students

These recipes have been created by the level 2 Professional Cookery students from Truro and Penwith College. Usually working in the college’s popular restaurant Senara, the students devised their own dishes using the fresh shellfish and seafood sold by W. Harvey & Sons both online and in its Newlyn shop.

Working together proved to be such a success that W. Harvey & Sons and the college have agreed to form a long-standing partnership to continue to provide the same opportunity for students going forward.

The Hospitality and Catering division of the college offers courses covering Food and Beverage Service and Professional Cookery, from levels one to three, with an additional level three certification in Patisserie and Confectionary. It works closely with the Paul Ainsworth Academy as well as other companies that specialise in the food industry.

Find out more here