Linguine with Crab

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Linguine with crab is one of my favourite dishes, seemingly simple but full of sophisticated flavour. The sweet and complex flavours of crab meat are ideal for dressing up plain pasta.

Although linguine is traditionally used for this dish, you could in theory use any shape of pasta. I personally think linguine is ideal, as the long and flat shape provides plenty of surface area for the sauce to cling onto.

Despite the use of chilli pepper, linguine with crab is not actually a very spicy dish. This recipe calls for a mild chilli to give a bit of heat, but you could certainly use a hotter chilli pepper or add some dried chilli powder to increase the spiciness.             

The rich brown crab meat is extremely high in omega-3 fatty acids and is what gives linguine with crab its flavour. The thicker texture of the brown meat, in contrast to the sweet, flaky white meat, makes it ideal for using in sauces.

For the best flavour, I recommend using the freshest crab meat you can, and handpicked, if possible. Although handpicked crab meat is labour intensive and more expensive, it really does preserve the flavour of the crab. The meat is painstakingly removed by hand, in contrast to machine processed crab, which is blasted with water or air to remove the meat.

Here's what you'll need to make this linguine with crab:
(Click here to jump straight to the recipe)

150g white crab meat
150g brown crab meat
500g linguine
Extra virgin olive oil for cooking, plus extra for tossing (4-6 Tbsps)
3 cloves of garlic, pressed
1 mild red chilli, deseeded and chopped
Juice from half a lemon, plus 4 Tbsp water
Large handful of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

And here's what you'll need to do:

• Separate the white crab meat from the brown meat, and gather together the remaining ingredients.

• Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.
• Meanwhile, slice, deseed, and chop the chilli finely.
• Peel and press the garlic, and chop the parsley finely.

• Cook the linguine for one minute less than the packet instructions.
• Whilst the linguine is cooking, heat some olive oil in a large pan over medium heat, and cooking the garlic for one minute until fragrant.
• Add the chilli, and cook for another minute.

• Add the lemon juice and water, and continue cooking for a few minutes, stirring frequently to combine the oil and water/juice.
• Turn the heat down to low, and add the brown crab meat, mixing to combine with the liquid. Season to taste.

• When the linguine is done cooking, transfer it to the pan with crab sauce, removing it from heat.
  
• Stir together little by little until all the linguine is coated with sauce. If the sauce is too sticky, add some of the pasta cooking water to thin it out.
• Stir in a couple of tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, and mix well. Check seasoning, and add more salt and pepper, as desired.

• Stir in the white crab meat and chopped parsley before serving. Squeeze over some fresh lemon juice, if you like.
  

Linguine with Crab

By Wendy | Serves 4

Linguine with crab is such a simple recipe whilst being full of sophisticated flavour.

Prep Time: 7 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4 as a Main
Course: Main, Starter, Pasta
Cuisine: Modern European
Tags: Seafood, Pasta

Ingredients

150g white crab meat
150g brown crab meat
500g linguine
Extra virgin olive oil for cooking, plus extra for tossing (4-6 Tbsps)
3 cloves of garlic, pressed
1 mild red chilli, deseeded and chopped
Juice from half a lemon, plus 4 Tbsp water
Large handful of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Method

1. Separate the white crab meat from the brown meat, and gather together the remaining ingredients.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.
3. Meanwhile, slice, deseed, and chop the chilli finely.
4. Peel and press the garlic, and chop the parsley finely.
5. Cook the linguine for one minute less than the packet instructions.
6. Whilst the linguine is cooking, heat some olive oil in a large pan over medium heat, and cooking the garlic for one minute until fragrant.
7. Add the chilli, and cook for another minute.
8. Add the lemon juice and water, and continue cooking for a few minutes, stirring frequently to combine the oil and water/juice.
9. Turn the heat down to low, and add the brown crab meat, mixing to combine with the liquid. Season to taste.
10. When the linguine is done cooking, transfer it to the pan with crab sauce, removing it from heat.
11. Stir together little by little until all the linguine is coated with sauce. If the sauce is too sticky, add some of the pasta cooking water to thin it out.
12. Stir in a couple of tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, and mix well. Check seasoning, and add more salt and pepper, as desired.
13. Stir in the white crab meat and chopped parsley before serving. Squeeze over some fresh lemon juice, if you like.

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