Crab, tomato and tarragon risotto

Serves 4

— 50ml olive oil

— 100g unsalted butter

— 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped

— 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped — 200g carnaroli risotto rice — 1 litre hot vegetable or fish stock

— 100g brown crabmeat — 300g white crabmeat — 6 tomatoes, blanched, skinned, deseeded and chopped

— 4 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced

— 100g Parmesan, grated — 1 small bunch of tarragon, leaves picked and chopped — extra-virgin olive oil, to finish Before you begin, make sure you have all the ingredients ready and weighed out. Check through the crabmeat to make sure there are no bits of shell.

Place a large pan over a medium heat and add the olive oil and half the butter. When it begins to bubble, add the onion and garlic and cook for two minutes to soften but not colour. Tip the rice into the pan and stir well, then cook for one minute, stirring occasionally.

Add the hot stock to the rice one ladleful at a time, stirring constantly. Make sure all the stock is absorbed before adding the next ladleful. Continue adding the stock and stirring for about 14 minutes, until the rice is al dente and the consistency has become creamy.

Now turn the heat down as low as possible. Add the brown crabmeat, 200g of the white, the tomatoes and the spring onions to the mixture and cook for one minute. Add the Parmesan and tarragon, then give the risotto a good stir and add the rest of the butter.

Remove from the heat and stir until the butter has melted then season with salt and black pepper.

Divide the risotto between warmed bowls and finish with a drizzle of olive oil and the remaining white crabmeat.