Crab Linguine with Lemon and Parsley

Serves - 4

You’ll need

• 400g linguine
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
• 1 small red chilli, finely chopped, or ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 200g white crab meat
• 100g brown crab meat, optional but very good for depth
• Small handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• Sea salt
• Black pepper

Method

1. Cook the pasta

Bring a large pan of well-salted water to the boil and cook the linguine until al dente according to the packet instructions. Before draining, reserve a good mug of the pasta water.

2. Start the sauce

While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a gentle to medium heat. Add the garlic and chilli and cook for about a minute, just until fragrant. Do not let the garlic colour too much or the whole thing will head in a more aggressive direction than intended.

3. Add the crab

Stir in the lemon zest, then add the brown crab meat if using. Let it warm through gently for a minute, breaking it up into the oil so it forms the savoury backbone of the sauce.

Add the white crab meat and fold it through carefully so it keeps some lovely texture.

4. Bring it together

Add the drained linguine to the pan along with the butter, most of the parsley, and a good splash of the reserved pasta water. Toss everything together gently over a low heat.

Add the lemon juice and more pasta water as needed until the sauce lightly coats the pasta rather than sitting in clumps or disappearing entirely.

5. Finish and serve

Taste and season with salt and black pepper. Be a little careful with the salt, especially if your crab is already well seasoned.

Divide between warm bowls and finish with the remaining parsley and, if you like, a final little grating of lemon zest over the top.

A couple of helpful notes

- Brown crab meat is not essential, but it does give the dish much more depth and a slightly richer, more luxurious feel.
- Do not swamp this with Parmesan. It is not that sort of pasta and the cheese will bully the crab.