Crab Linguinie

Crab Linguine

Servings 4 People

Ingredients
  

  • 400 g linguine
  • 400 g crab meat (a mix 250g white with 150g brown is good)
  • 1 fennel bulb
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 fennel seeds
  • 1 red chilli
  • 1 lemon
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • Large handful flat-leaf parsley leaves Very finely chopped

Instructions
 

  • Remove the tough outer part and stalk of the fennel. Slice the bulb as finely as you can across the grain. Keep any of the green tops and chop finely
  • Peel and finely chop the garlic, halve, deseed and finely chop chilli
  • Crush the fennel seeds and grate the zest of the lemon, and squeeze the juice.
  • Heat two tablespoons of oil in a thick-bottomed pan, add the garlic, fennel seeds and chilli, and cook to soften
  • Add the crab, lemon juice and zest, and seasonStir through, just to heat up the crab.
  • Cook the linguine in boiling, salted water for five minutes, then add the fennel slices and cook together until al dente. Drain the pasta, keeping a little of the water,
  • Add the parsley and reserved chopped fennel fronds to the crab mixture and mix thoroughly
  • Add the drained pasta to the crab mixture. Stir thoroughly to combine, adding a little of the reserved water to loosen the sauce if necessary
  • Season and serve with a little olive oil.

Notes

Top Tips
Prepared crab isn't cheap, so I buy little pots of it from the fishmonger or where you see it on offer. I buy it in Cornwall and freeze it. Then make a dish that is simple but will stretch it out. Zingy and hot, this will have you thinking about where to go for your next summer hols.