Crab and Fennel Pasta

Good Pair Days (Roos Michels) -
  • 150g mixed crabmeat
  • 3 tbsp creme fraiche
  • ½ tsp cayenne pepper
  • 120g fennel
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 chopped shallot
  • 2 crushed garlic cloves
  • 1 tomato, cut into wedges
  • 125ml white wine
  • 180g linguine or spaghetti
  • 1 tbsp chopped herbs (parsley, dill, tarragon)
  • Squeeze of lemon
  • Mix the brown crabmeat with the creme fraiche and cayenne and set aside. Slice the fennel bulb and finely chop the fronds. Heat up the olive oil in a frying pan and cook the fennel, shallot, garlic and chilli - with a pinch of salt - for about 10 mins to soften. Add the tomatoes and cook for a few mins more, then tip in the wine and scrape up any browned bits from the pan base. Cook until reduced by half, then remove from the heat.
  • Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Reheat the fennel sauce and stir the pasta into the sauce, along with a good splash of the pasta cooking water. Spoon in the white crabmeat, stir everything together, then add the crab and creme fraiche mixture and the herbs. Gently fold, season to taste with black pepper and lemon juice, and serve.
25 mins
2 serving