Name: Crab, prawn and fennel stew with rouille
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 4 - 6
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 6 blue swimmer crabs, cleaned, halved, claws cracked; 2 fennel bulbs, thinly sliced; ½ white onion, thinly sliced; Large pinch of saffron threads; 2 tsp tomato paste; 100 ml Pernod; 200 ml dry white wine; 500 ml fish or crab stock (2 cups); 6 wild prawns, unpeeled; Rouille; 1 red capsicum; 2 tsp olive oil; 1 large kipfler potato (120gm), scrubbed; 1 boiled egg, white discarded; 1 large garlic clove; 2 tbsp white wine vinegar; Pinch of saffron threads, soaked in 1 tbsp boiling water; 300 ml olive oil

Crab, prawn and fennel stew with rouille

Think of this as a simpler version of bouillabaisse with all the flavour, but less work

Serves 4 - 6

Prep

20M

Cook

45M

Total

1H 5M

Think of this as a simpler version of bouillabaisse with all the flavour, but less work. Use a mixture of seafood if you like, but the real flavour comes from toasting the crab shells in the oil.

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

6 blue swimmer crabs, cleaned, halved, claws cracked

2 fennel bulbs, thinly sliced

½ white onion, thinly sliced

Large pinch of saffron threads

2 tsp tomato paste

100 ml Pernod

200 ml dry white wine

500 ml fish or crab stock (2 cups)

6 wild prawns, unpeeled

Rouille

1 red capsicum

2 tsp olive oil

1 large kipfler potato (120gm), scrubbed

1 boiled egg, white discarded

1 large garlic clove

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

Pinch of saffron threads, soaked in 1 tbsp boiling water

300 ml olive oil

Method

Main

1.For rouille, preheat oven to 200C. Toss capsicum in olive oil and roast until tender (20-25 minutes). Transfer to a heatproof bowl,cover with plastic wrap and stand to steam and soften (20-25 minutes). Meanwhile, place potato in a saucepan, cover completely with cold water, bring to the boil over high heat and boil until tender (15-20 minutes). Drain and cool. Peel capsicum and potato, coarsely chop, and transfer to a blender along with yolk, garlic, vinegar and saffron and its water. Blend to combine, then, with motor running, gradually add olive oil in a thin steady stream until thick and emulsified. Season to taste and refrigerate until required.

2.Meanwhile, heat oil in an extra-large wide saucepan or stockpot over medium-high heat. Add crabs and stir until they start to roast in the oil and turn red (2-4 minutes). Remove from the pan. Add fennel, onion and saffron threads and sauté, stirring occasionally, until translucent and softened (8-10 minutes). Add tomato paste and stir until the colour deepens (1 minute). Deglaze pan with Pernod and simmer until almost evaporated (1-2 minutes), then add wine and reduce by half (2-3 minutes). Add fish stock, return crabs to pan, cover with a lid and simmer, stirring occasionally, until crabs are cooked through, adding prawns during the last 8 minutes of cooking (10-15 minutes). Remove crabs from pan and strain vegetables and stock, reserving both. Return stock to pan and reduce over high heat until well flavoured (8-12 minutes). Season to taste, return crab and vegetables to pan, and serve with rouille and crusty bread.