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Txangurro with white rice

Txangurro is a Basque crab gratin made with cooked crab meat simmered with softened vegetables, tomato and cognac, then baked under the broiler with breadcrumbs. It serves 4 in 50 minutes, at a medium difficulty level, for about €5.60 per person. The key to success is a well reduced filling and a closely watched broiling step.

Tonight, a Basque style baked crab gratin, with crab meat, tomato and a splash of cognac, served with white rice.

Txangurro with white rice
Total time
50 min
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€5.60
Calories per person
710 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter, Summer

Txangurro brings together crab meat and a filling of softened vegetables, tomato and cognac, finished under the broiler for a golden crust of breadcrumbs and butter. The taste is briny, slightly sweet from the tomato, lifted by the cognac that leaves its aroma behind as it cooks off. The texture stays soft inside and crisp on top, served in individual ramekins.

This is a dish for when you have a bit of time on your hands, more of a Sunday evening project or something to serve guests without overspending. The white rice on the side soaks up the juices and balances the richness of the gratin. Count on this dish to surprise guests who haven't tried Basque cooking before.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Cooked crab meat 500 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 1
  • Leek 1
  • Carrot 1
  • Parsley 4 sprigs

Pantry

  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Cognacoften in the pantry 4 cl
  • Breadcrumbsoften in the pantry 40 g
  • Riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Butter 50 g

Allergens Shellfish, Lactose, Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Sauté the onion, leek and carrot, finely chopped, in the olive oil and half the butter. 12 min

    Cut them into small dice, they should melt into the filling.

  2. Add the cognac, let it cook off, then pour in the tomatoes and let it reduce over low heat. 10 min

    You can flambé it if you like, just keep towels and hair well away.

  3. Off the heat, mix the flaked crab meat into the preparation, season with salt and pepper.

    Adjust the seasoning after mixing, the crab is sometimes already salty.

  4. Divide among four ramekins, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and small knobs of butter, then broil under the oven grill. 10 min

    Watch closely, the breadcrumbs can go from golden to burnt in seconds.

  5. Meanwhile, cook the rice in salted water, then serve it alongside the txangurros with parsley. 11 min

    Let the rice sit covered off the heat to keep it fluffy.

Our tips to get it right

  • Cut the vegetables really fine, they should melt into the filling so you can't pick them out when you taste it.
  • Let the cognac fully cook off before adding the tomato, otherwise the alcohol taste stays too strong in the final dish.
  • Make the filling ahead and broil only at the last minute, the breadcrumbs stay crisp only when freshly browned.

The variations

  • Swap the crab meat for drained canned crab meat, the result is simpler but still tasty.
  • For an alcohol free version, replace the cognac with a splash of lemon juice added at the end of cooking.
  • To save time, skip the broiling step and serve the warm filling directly over the rice.

What to serve it with

  • Plain white rice
  • Green salad with a sharp dressing
  • Toasted bread for dipping

Storage

The filling keeps for 2 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container, before broiling. It freezes well once cooled, thaw it in the refrigerator then broil just before serving.

Questions about this dish

Can you use a different crustacean instead of crab?

Yes, spider crab or even snow crab meat works well. The important thing is using cooked, flaked meat that mixes easily into the filling.

Do you need to flambé the cognac?

It's not required, letting the cognac simmer gently is enough to cook off the alcohol. If you do flambé it, keep your hands, towels and hair well away from the flame.

Can you make txangurro ahead of time?

Yes, prepare the filling the day before and keep it refrigerated in the ramekins. You just need to add the breadcrumbs and broil right before serving.

Why keep the brown meat and claws from the crab?

The brown meat and leftover bits from the claws carry a lot of flavor and season the whole filling. Even in small amounts, they make a real difference in the final taste.

How long does it take to make a txangurro with white rice?

Count 50 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a txangurro with white rice?

About 710 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a txangurro with white rice cost?

About €5.60 per serving, or €22.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains shellfish, lactose, gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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