Crab Linguine With Chili And Cilantro

 

Crab Linguine With Chili And Cilantro

A minimal pasta dish like this demands the best ingredients to make it 
shine, so stint on the quality of pasta, olive oil or crab at your peril.
Ingredients:
12 oz (375 g) linguine
⅓ cup (80 mL) olive oil
1 to 2 Thai bird’s-eye chilies, seeded and minced
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
8 oz (250 g) flaked, cooked, shelled crab meat, about 1½ cups (375 mL)
2 tsp (10 mL) finely grated lemon zest
¼ cup (60 mL) fresh lemon juice
⅓ cup (80 mL) finely chopped cilantro
2 tbsp (30 mL) unsalted butter, softened
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook linguine until al dente, about 9 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat oil over medium-low heat. Add chilies and garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 7 minutes. Don’t let the garlic colour (reduce heat if it looks like it might). Stir in crab meat, lemon zest and juice. Increase heat to medium-high and bubble for 1 minute.

Drain pasta well, reserving ½ cup (125 mL) pasta water. Return pasta to pot. Add crab mixture and cilantro to pasta and toss well, adding enough reserved pasta water, if necessary, to moisten pasta. Stir in butter until it melts. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4

Crab-Stuffed Deviled Eggs

Ingredients:

2. 8 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled
3. 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
4. 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
5. 1 tablespoon minced shallot
6. 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
7. 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
8. 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
9. 8 ounces crabmeat
11. Fresh tarragon sprigs (optional)
12. 
    

Directions:

1. 1. 1. Cut eggs lengthwise in half. Scoop out yolks. Place yolks from 4 eggs in a medium bowl (reserve remaining yolks for another use). Mash yolks with a fork.
      2. Mix in mayonnaise, chopped tarragon, minced shallot, lemon juice, cayenne, and hot pepper sauce. Mix in crab. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
      3. Mound crab mixture in the cavity of each egg-white half (about 1 heaping tablespoon for each). (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Place crab-stuffed deviled eggs on a platter. Garnish each with small tarragon sprig, if desired, and serve.

Crab And Shrimp Bisque

Crab And Shrimp Bisque

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
2 tablespoons chopped celery
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup heavy whipping cream
8 ounces crab meat
4 to 8 ounces small cooked shrimp or other seafood
2 tablespoon sherry wine*

Directions:
Melt the butter in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium-low heat; add the chopped green onion and celery. Saute, stirring, until tender. 

Blend the flour into the butter and vegetables until well incorporated. Continue cooking, stirring, for about 2 minutes. 

Warm the milk in another saucepan over medium heat. 

Slowly stir in the warmed milk and continue cooking and stirring until thickened. 

Add the freshly ground black pepper, tomato paste, and heavy cream. 

If desired, puree the soup in a blender or food processor** at this point and then return it to the saucepan. 

Stir in the crab, shrimp, and the sherry. Bring to a simmer.  Serve hot.

*Sherry is a wine which is fortified with brandy. Dry sherry is a good choice for this recipe. After sherry is opened, it should be stored in the refrigerator.

**When you puree hot soup, don't fill the blender more than half full. If too full, the pressure from the steam can cause an explosion, forcing the top off of the blender. To avoid that, puree any hot liquids in small batches, and hold the blender cover on with a folded kitchen towel in hand.


Tips and Variations
Feel free to add small cooked bay scallops or lobster instead of the shrimp.

Replace the green onions with finely chopped shallots. 

If d esired, garnish the soup with thinly sliced green onion tops, cilantro, or parsley. Or add a spoonful of sour cream and swirl it.

Warm Crab And Artichoke Dip With French Bread

Warm Crab And Artichoke 

Dip With French Bread

Ingredients:
1 pound crab meat
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
8 oz. frozen artichoke hearts
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1 baguette (8 to 12 0z.)
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon each fresh thyme and oregano leaves

***

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, artichoke hearts, crab, Parmesan cheese, and salt. Pour into a greased medium gratin dish. Sprinkle with almonds and bake until bubbling, about 15 minutes.

***

Score baguette 1 inch deep across loaf, making sure to let oil soak into cuts. Toast in oven on a baking sheet for 5 minutes before serving with dip.