Linguine with Crab, Lemon, Chile, and Mint

I'm a big fan of carbs.  Bread, rice, pasta...you name it.

So when I learned that my non-carb-loving boyfriend, Tony, was coming home from work late one night, I decided it was the perfect time to try a new recipe I had bookmarked in my January 2012 Bon Appetit magazine:  Linguine with Crab, Lemon, Chile, and Mint.

Clockwise from top left:  minced garlic, red jalapenos, lemon zest, mint, butter, lemon juice/lemons

Crab is probably my most favorite food.  Ever.  I remember my sister and I going to dinner with our family for our birthdays every year, and we'd always request the same thing.  Red Lobster.  Just so we can order a big plate of Alaskan king crab legs.

And I know many foodies may scoff at the idea of Red Lobster being a "quality" seafood restaurant...but hey, I'm from Northern California...in the valley!  So we love our Red Lobster; it's pretty much all we've got up there, unless we feel like driving over an hour to get to the bay!

I remember one year when my sister and I went, Red Lobster had a special promotion:  endless bucket of crab.  Let's just say my sister and I definitely had our money's worth.

No wonder why they don't do that special anymore....

This recipe was just what I needed to satisfy my craving of carbs and crab.  It's not often that I spend  dinner without Tony, so I needed to take advantage of the opportunity (of course, don't get me wrong, I loooooove when Tony is home for dinner).  In fact, in a few weeks, the scenario is going to be the other way around.

My school semester will be starting soon, which means after work, instead of coming home and making dinner, I'll be stuck in a classroom til 9PM!  So Tony will have to manage dinner on his own, and I'll be missing spending time in the kitchen.  Hopefully I can still fit in enough time to cook up simple things, and then there's still always the weekend...so don't worry, I'll do my best to keep the blog posts on schedule!

For now, enjoy this recipe from Bon Appetit.  The lemon and mint provide a fresh quality to this dish, and it was just what I needed.  I also took the leftovers to work for lunch, so I can honestly say that this pasta tastes just as great the next day.

Linguine with Crab, Lemon, Chile, and Mint
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Recipe from Bon Appetit magazine - Jan 2012 issue
Yield:  2 servings

Ingredients:
8 ounces linguine
Kosher salt
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1/4 cup minced shallots
1 tsp minced garlic
1-2 red jalapenos, seeded, sliced into thin rounds
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, divided, plus 2 tsp (packed) finely grated lemon zest, divided
Freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces cooked, shelled jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over for shells
1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, gently torn, divided

Directions:
Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente.  Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.

Meanwhile, melt 1 Tbsp butter with 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add shallots and stir until just soft, 3-4 minutes.  Add garlic and one chili, and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

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

Transfer pasta to skillet and add 1/2 cup pasta water, increase heat to medium-high.  Cook, tossing pasta or stirring with tongs, until liquid is almost evaporated and pasta becomes glossy, about 2 minutes.  Add the remaining 3 Tbsp butter, 1 Tbsp oil, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp lemon zest, crab, half of mint, and more chile rounds, if desired.

Stir pasta until butter melts and pasta is well coated, adding more pasta water if dry.  Divide between bowls, top with remaining 1 tsp lemon zest and mint.  Sprinkle with more lemon juice, if desired.  Serve with extra lemon wedges on the side.