Pasta with Crab and Lemon

Crab is an old favourite of mine. This dish has such fresh clean flavours and is best eaten with fresh crusty bread and a glass of chilled white wine.

⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1½ lemons, freshly squeezed
1½ lemons, freshly zested
4 bird's eye red chiles, finely chopped
¾ lb fresh linguine or other long pasta
9 oz white crab meat
l1 arge handful fresh basil leaves, torn
crushed sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground

Add the olive oil, lemon zest, and chopped chiles to a small pan and place over low heat until they begin to sizzle. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook according to the package instructions (about 7 minutes). Drain well, rinse with boiling water, and set aside.

Add the chile and lemon oil to the pan that the linguine was cooked in. Add the lemon juice and cook over medium heat until sizzling. Return the linguine to the pan and add the crab meat. Toss gently for 1-2 minutes to warm the crab through.

Fold in the basil and season with crushed sea salt and black pepper, freshly ground. Spoon into warmed serving bowls.

Makes 4 servings.