Spicy Crab Linguine with Mustard, Crème Fraîche, and Herbs

The other day my friend Nick asked me if my blog was good for the “extreme-budget-conscious” (he’s a tiny bit prone to hyperbole). I exclaimed, “Yes! Of cou—” and then remembered that I had just spent $45 on one pound of canned crab meat (canned, no less), because I became obsessed with this recipe from the New York Times (not from Melissa Clark – shocker!). Coming from Boston to Chicago, one of the things I miss most are the summers filled with fresh, abundant seafood. Friends and I would drive to the beach on the weekends, always stopping along the way for fried clams, lobster rolls, and juicy, garlicky shrimp. There are no seafood shacks in Chicago, but I did find a nice (expensive) fishmonger at Dirk’s Fish, where I procured the aforementioned crab. Which immediately compelled James to joke that if the apocalypse arrived, we would be sitting pretty with our canned crab meat supply (not technically true – it says very specifically on the label that this canned fish is to be refrigerated at all times).

Anyway, I’m obsessed with this recipe because I love crab, and crab plays a prominent, unmistakable role in this dish. My (overpriced) tinned crab was fine, but I swoon to think how you could elevate this dish with fresh, sweet, just plucked-from-the-sea crab meat. If you live on the East Coast, get your hands on fresh crab meat. This dish doesn’t have a lot of ingredients or strong flavors, so quality ingredients is really key here. Besides that, though, this dish is just so darn easy. Cooking the pasta actually takes the longest time, and the sauce literally just involves chopping a bunch of herbs and warming up the crème fraîche. This recipe should be almost a Fuss Factor 0, it’s so breathlessly easy.

Fun Facts Time: Crème fraîche is French for “fresh cream.” Despite the name, however, it isn’t really fresh at all! Instead, it is a thick, soured cream traditionally produced by simply leaving fresh cow’s cream at room temperature. The naturally occurring bacterial cultures not only prevent it from spoiling, but also work to thicken and acidify the cream. Today, European regulations do not allow any ingredients in crème fraîche other than cream and bacterial culture. However, in the U.S. where all dairy is pasteurized (if not ultra-pasteurized), the cream is instead fermented with the addition of buttermilk or yogurt. Crème fraîche may be difficult to find, or can be expensive, but remarkably, it is shockingly easy to make your own! Just mix together heavy cream and buttermilk, let sit at room temperature for half a day, and WATCH SCIENCE HAPPEN! In a pinch, or if you don’t like science, you can substitute sour cream, although crème fraîche is thicker, less tangy, and has a higher fat content and richer flavor than sour cream. If substituting sour cream, take care to just warm the cream, and do not let it simmer, as sour cream can easily curdle over high heat.

Other Things to Note:

• I bumped up the flavors because I wanted to avoid just creamy crab pasta. I left all the pith and seeds of the serrano pepper in because I wanted more heat, and I increased all the herbs.
• Based on other reader comments, I also added a shower of fresh lemon juice at the end, which also helps to cut the creaminess and brighten up the dish.
• Feel free to vary the herbs according to your preferences or stockpiles. According to the New York Times, mint, dill, or chervil would all work well here.

So, Nick, no, this particular recipe is not for the extreme budget conscious. It’s probably for those who chase down (overpriced) fishmongers to have crab on a Wednesday, and who probably sip tea with their pinkies in the air.

We served this with some roasted asparagus. Total time to dinner, including sides: like, 30 minutes.

5 from 1 vote

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Spicy Crab Linguine with Mustard, Crème Fraîche and Herbs

Source: The New York Times

Ingredients

• 1 pound linguine
• 1 cup crème fraîche
• 1 serrano or jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• Salt and pepper
• 1 pound cooked crab meat, lump if possible
• 1/4 cup finely chopped chives
• 8 scallions, thinly sliced on an angle
• 2 tablespoons tarragon leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon basil, roughly chopped
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice

Instructions

1. Put a large pot of heavily salted water on to boil. Add the linguine, and cook until al dente.

2. While the pasta cooks, warm the crème fraîche over medium heat in a wide skillet. Stir in serrano or jalapeño pepper, mustard, and cayenne and season with salt and pepper. Add crab meat, stir to coat, and heat through, about 2 minutes.

3. Drain pasta and add to skillet with a few tablespoons (up to about 1/4 cup) of pasta water. Add the chives, scallions, tarragon, and basil. Toss gently to combine all the ingredients and coat pasta with the sauce. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the pasta and toss once more. Transfer to a warm serving dish and garnish with additional herbs, if desired.