Spicy Crab Linguine

The combination of spicy chiles with mint was one I wouldn't have put together before, but it works beautifully in this crab pasta dish. The best part of this recipe is that you can make it in under 20 minutes, what takes the longest is for the water to boil!  I am a self-proclaimed expert crab cracker. It's almost therapeutic to sit with a glass of white wine, listening to great music and cracking crab.  Am I crazy or am I crazy?

I used one medium sized Dungeness (straight from the Oregon coast, of course) to serve two, which was more than enough. Following is my version of Bon Appetit's recipe.


Spicy Crab Linguine (serves two)


8 ounces linguine (I used fresh whole wheat- makes all the difference)
olive oil
1 minced shallot
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 red jalapeños sliced into thin rounds
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus 2 teaspoons lemon zest
8 ounces cooked, shelled crabmeat
3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, julliened 

1. Cook pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.

2.  Pour 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and stir until just soft, 3–4 minutes. Add garlic and 1 chile and cook about 1 minute.

3. Add 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice and 3 Tbsp. pasta cooking liquid to shallot mixture; add a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir until liquid is almost evaporated, about 1 minute.

4. Transfer pasta to skillet and add 1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking liquid. Increase heat to medium-high. Cook, tossing pasta or stirring with tongs, until liquid is almost evaporated about 2 minutes. 

5. Add the butter, 1 Tbsp. oil, 1 Tbsp. lemon juice, 1 tsp. lemon zest, crab, half of mint. Stir pasta until butter melts.  If pasta looks dull, add olive oil until glossy. 

6. Divide between bowls; top with remaining 1 tsp. lemon zest and mint. Sprinkle with more lemon juice

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Spicy black bean & corn salad

Ahhh summer.  I just can't get enough of you.  I make black bean and corn salad often.  I usually always have the ingredients for it on hand, and it's so simple yet flavorful.  This side works wonderfully with Mexican, or as I served it last night, with orange-marinated grilled salmon and grilled pineapple.  I heat this mixture in jalapeno olive oil, a delicious alternative to standard EVOO.  You can find specialty flavored oils at gourmet food stores.

Black bean and corn salad (serves 3-4)
1 large ear or corn, grilled or boiled (or sub 1 15 oz can corn, drained)
1/4 red onion, diced
1/2 of one jalapeno, diced (more of less depending on your sensitivity to heat)
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp chili powder
Juice of 1 lemon
3 strips of jarred roasted red peppers, diced
1 tsp jalapeno olive oil (or regular EVOO)
1  15 oz can black beans

Combine first 8 ingredients. Heat olive oil in sautee pan over medium heat.  Add corn mixture, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.  Drain the water from the canned black beans.  Add to corn mixture in the sautee pan, and cook just until warm (about 1-2 minutes).