Creamy Crab over Saffron Risotto with Slab Bacon

Serves:
4-6
Chef:
Irv Miller
Ingredients:
1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 pound slab bacon, cut thick and rendered in a pan
1 cup onions, chopped fine
1 cup Arborio rice
3-5 cups hot chicken broth
¼ teaspoon saffron powder or crushed threads
1 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, freshly grated
½ cup dry white wine
¼ cup unsalted butter, divided
¼ cup scallions, cut small
Kosher salt to taste
Cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions:
In a small bowl, dissolve saffron in ½ cup broth and set aside. Set a heavy nonreactive saucepan over medium-high heat. Add half the butter and sauté onions until tender, about 3 minutes. Add rice, stir well to coat the grains, then continue stirring as you deglaze with the white wine. Add saffron broth, and then add the hot broth in stages as you stir. As you stir and broth is absorbed, add more to cover. When rice is tender and broth is absorbed (about 25 minutes), finish risotto with remaining whole butter.

In a separate sauté pan, heat whipping cream over medium-high and whisk frequently until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Add crab to the warm cream and reheat until hot. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Pour crabmeat mixture over top of the risotto and top with fresh-grated cheese, chopped slab bacon and scallions.