Cromer Crab

Chilli Crab Linguine

I was interested and pleased to note that increasingly more people from around the world are choosing to read my blog (or at least look at the pictures).  As a consequence, I shall in future, add a bit more explanatory information when I am describing customs, objects or locations that are typically local to the UK or the region, East Anglia, where I live.

There is a small town 30 miles from our home called Cromer which is famous for the quality of  brown edible crabs which are caught in the sea nearby. Catching Cromer crabs should not be confused with 'Catching Crabs at Walberswick' (Walberswick is a picturesque village by the sea even closer to our home) where the crabs concerned are inedible and caught for fun and then returned to the water unharmed by the children of holidaymakers.

For those that like seafood, pasta and chilli peppers, I can fully recommend "Chilli Crab Linguine", a recipe Toot has developed on an iterative basis and has, now in my opinion, reached a state of near perfection. It is also a lunch or supper dish that is easy and quick to prepare.

First cook in boiling salted water sufficient linguine for the number of people to be fed. When just cooked plunge in cold water, leave to go cold, drain and then put to one side.

To make the sauce put in a bowl and blend with an electrical blender; -  a little balsamic vinegar, tomato puree, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, a little olive oil, sugar, chilli powder, fresh sliced chilli pepper,  lemon juice and zest, and salt and pepper. The sauce should be of a thin paste like consistency.  It is important to get the right balance between the basil, lemon, chilli and sugar and this does involve a little trial and error and personal taste.

Next and to serve one person, put the cold but cooked linguine in a microwave safe bowl, add the uncooked sauce and carefully fold in. Take the  brown and white meat from half a brown crab (pre-cooked from the fishmonger) and  stir into the contents of the bowl. Add a little sliced fresh chilli pepper as a garnish, place some cling film over the top of the bowl and microwave for two minutes on full power.  It is as simple as that and quite delicious!

"Guess what we are having for supper tonight"?