Weekends are for relaxing, spending time with family and friends, perhaps doing the odd job on the house/garden but mostly for taking a pause.  That pause can be over good food.   And that good food can be anything from fancy to simple as long as it’s something you like, something that makes you feel special.  

This three day weekend was just that for us, a weekend of beach hut, spending time together and rather a lot of pausing.  Other stuff happened of course, like our boys going off out with their friends, jobs on the garden but food brings us together and gives us focus.

I bought a dressed crab from our local fishmonger who lovingly prepared it for us so I didn’t have to.  I can but it does make a hell of a mess.  All we had to do was bash the claws with stones from the beach and we were good to go.  So crab linguine it was and the odd mouthful of crabmeat for the cook.

Crab Linguine (serves 4)

1 large dressed crab

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 shallots, finely chopped

1 red chilli, seeded and finely chopped (if large use to taste)

1 clove of garlic, peeled but left whole

1 packet linguine (I used *-**spaghetti as I had some at the beach hut)

large handful of parsley, chopped

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 lemon

In large pan of boiling salted water, cook your pasta to cooking instructions minus a minute.  Meantime, in a frying pan, heat the oil and add the onion, chilli until starting to soften but not colouring.  Add the garlic clove and continue to cook for a minute or so longer.  Add the brown crab meat and stir to combine, turn off the heat (you can remove the garlic clove now).  Take the pasta from the pan using tongs (no need to drain) and add to the frying pan.  Mix thoroughly and add the white crabmeat along with the salt and pepper and finally a cook sprinkling of the parsley.

Finish with a squeeze of lemon over and serve.