Crab and Fennel Stew

Name: Crab and Fennel Stew
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: serves 4-6
Ingredients: 1 ⁄ 4 cup olive oil; 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced; 3 ribs celery, thinly sliced; 2 large shallots, thinly sliced; 1 large bulb fennel, trimmed and thinly sliced; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 1 ⁄ 4 cup dry white wine; 3 tbsp. tomato paste; 1 tbsp. finely chopped thyme; 1 tsp. piment d'Espelette; 2 bay leaves; 4 cups fish or chicken stock; 1 (28-oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes in juice, crushed by hand; 2 lb. precooked king or snow crab legs, defrosted if frozen and cut into 3″ pieces; 2 tbsp. roughly chopped basil; 2 bunches roughly chopped parsley; Country bread, for serving (optional)

Serves
serves 4-6

PENNY DE LOS SANTOS

Meaty crab legs are cooked in their shells in a fragrant tomato-based broth in this robust stew, which first appeared in our December 2013 issue along with Corey Arnold's article Polar Harvest.

Ingredients

¹⁄₄ cup olive oil
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 ribs celery, thinly sliced
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
1 large bulb fennel, trimmed and thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
¹⁄₄ cup dry white wine
3 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tbsp. finely chopped thyme
1 tsp. piment d'Espelette
2 bay leaves
4 cups fish or chicken stock
1 (28-oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes in juice, crushed by hand
2 lb. precooked king or snow crab legs, defrosted if frozen and cut into 3″ pieces
2 tbsp. roughly chopped basil
2 bunches roughly chopped parsley
Country bread, for serving (optional)

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Instructions

Step 1

Heat oil in an 8-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, celery, shallots, fennel, salt, and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 10 minutes Add wine; cook until reduced by half, 1–2 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, thyme, piment d'Espelette, and bay leaves; cook, stirring, until slightly caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add stock and tomatoes; boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thick, 15–20 minutes. Stir in crab; cook until shells are bright red and meat is tender, 2–3 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Stir in basil and parsley; serve with bread, if you like.

Heat oil in an 8-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, celery, shallots, fennel, salt, and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 10 minutes Add wine; cook until reduced by half, 1–2 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, thyme, piment d'Espelette, and bay leaves; cook, stirring, until slightly caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add stock and tomatoes; boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thick, 15–20 minutes. Stir in crab; cook until shells are bright red and meat is tender, 2–3 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Stir in basil and parsley; serve with bread, if you like.