The best way to cook this recipe is to get everything ready before you start cooking i.e chop the shallot or onion, crush the garlic, zest and juice the lemon and chop the chilli. You can put them in little pots like they do on the TV but, apart from the onion, the rest can be kept together as it keeps the washing up to a minimum!
Why we love this
We love recipes that feel relaxed but thoughtful: good seafood, a simple method, and enough flavour to make the meal feel like a small occasion.
What you'll need
Gather everything first, then the cooking feels calmer.
- White Crab Meat (1 good sized crab)
- 200g Fresh Linguine
- 1 Shallot (finely chopped)
- 1 large Garlic Clove (or 2 small) crushed
- 1 Lemon - zest & juice
- 1 Red Chilli
- Handful of Watercress
- salt & pepper to taste
- a little olive oil
- Put a pan of water on to boil for the pasta
- Heat a little olive oil in a saute pan or deep frying pan and fry the onions over a medium heat for a few minutes until they start to soften
- Meanwhile add the pasta to the boiling water
- Add the garlic, chilli, lemon zest and lemon juice to the onions and continue to cook on a low heat for a few more minutes
- When the pasta is cooked, take a couple of tablespoons of the pasta water and add to the onion mixture and then drain the pasta
- While the pasta is draining, add the cooked crab meat to the onion mixture and stir around gently to heat through
- Add the drained pasta and gently combine and then stir through the watercress.
- Season with salt & pepper.
- Serve with a side salad and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc!
Cook along
Take it step by step; seafood rewards a calm hand.
- 1
Put a pan of water on to boil for the pasta
- 2
Heat a little olive oil in a saute pan or deep frying pan and fry the onions over a medium heat for a few minutes until they start to soften
- 3
Meanwhile add the pasta to the boiling water
- 4
Add the garlic, chilli, lemon zest and lemon juice to the onions and continue to cook on a low heat for a few more minutes
- 5
When the pasta is cooked, take a couple of tablespoons of the pasta water and add to the onion mixture and then drain the pasta
- 6
While the pasta is draining, add the cooked crab meat to the onion mixture and stir around gently to heat through
- 7
Add the drained pasta and gently combine and then stir through the watercress.
- 8
Season with salt & pepper.
- 9
Serve with a side salad and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc!
Make it Different
Try this recipe with smoked haddock, scallops, monkfish or prawns or even a selection. - If you don't like spicy food, leave out the chilli but add a little more seasoning - Try adding a splash of wine at the same time as the chilli, lemon and garlic
Missing Ingredients?
A small onion can be used instead of a shallot. If you can't get fresh linguine used dried instead - just adjust cooking time. You could also use spaghetti or tagliatelle. If you don't have watercress use rocket, baby spinach or parsley
Serve it with
Keep the sides simple: something fresh, something warm, and a little squeeze of lemon usually does the trick.
