Crab & prawn congee

Ingredients

• 4 raw blue swimmer crabs
• 12 raw crystal bay prawns
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 eschallots, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• ½ bunch thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup white wine
• ¼ cup vermouth
• 3 tomatoes, chopped
• ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds
• ¼ teaspoon juniper berries
• ¼ teaspoon coriander seeds
• ¼ teaspoon white peppercorns
• 1 cinnamon quill
• 2 star anise

Congee

• 1¼ cups (275g) carnaroli rice
• Prepared crab and prawn stock
• 100g butter
• Garnishes:
• Soft boiled eggs
• Cime di rappa:
• Cime di rappa
• Salt
• Sugar

Saffron Oil

• Pinch of saffron
• Grapeseed oil

Prawns and crab

• 150ml grapeseed oil
• Cornflour
• Reserved prawn meat
• Reserved crab

Fried eschallots

• 6 eschallots, finely sliced

Pangratatto

• 100g butter
• 2 anchovies, chopped
• 1 chilli, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 2 handfuls fresh breadcrumbs

Lemon wedges to serve

Method

Stock

1. Clean the crabs, reserving the brown meat and head shell. Set aside the claws and body for serving.
2. Shell and devein the prawns reserving the shells and heads for the stock. Chop the prawn meat.
3. Select SAUTÉ/SEAR function and set the timer for 30 minutes. Press START and allow to heat for 3 minutes. Add the oil to the cooker with the reserved crab and prawn shells. Saute until golden.
4. Add the eschallots and garlic and cook, stirring, until golden. Add tomato paste and stir through for 1 minute then add thyme, bay leaves, wine, vermouth, tomatoes and spices. Simmer until the liquid has reduced by half. Add water up to the max line.
5. Select PRESSURE COOK and High pressure. Set timer for 15 minutes. Place lid on cooker and close the valve. Press START.
6. Once cooking time is complete open the valve to release all the steam before opening the lid.
7. Strain the stock into a clean bowl and discard the solids. You will have about 3 litres of stock.

Congee

1. Place the rice and 3 litres of stock into the cooker.
2. Select PRESSURE COOK and Medium pressure. Set timer for 60 minutes. Place lid on cooker and close the valve. Press START.
3. Once cooking time is complete open the valve to release all the steam before opening the lid.
4. The congee should be creamy and smooth. If there is too much liquid or if the rice has not broken down enough select the SAUTÉ/SEAR function and simmer until the correct consistency is reached. If it is too dry add a little stock or water until the correct consistency is achieved.
5. Add the butter and season with salt and white pepper.
6. Serve with garnishes and a squeeze of lemon.

Garnishes

1. For the cime di rappa, wash and roughly chop the cime di rappa, sprinkle with a little salt and sugar. Mix well and set aside to pickle.
2. For the saffron oil, toast saffron in a small frypan then pour in enough grapeseed oil to cover the base of the pan. Season and set aside to infuse.
3. For the prawns and crabs , heat the oil in a medium frypan. Coat the prawns and crab pieces in cornflour and fry in the oil until golden. Drain on paper towels. Reserve oil.
4. For the fried shallots, fry the eschallots in the same oil used for the prawns and crab until golden. Drain on paper towels. Reserve oil.
5. For the pangratatto, add butter, anchovies, chilli and garlic to reserved oil in frypan. Saute until garlic is soft then add the breadcrumbs and coook, stirring until golden and crunchy.