linguine con finocchi e granchio
for 6
3 bulbs fennel, with leafy tops
2 large live male crabs, about 1.3–1.8 kg each
3 fresh red chillies, seeded and finely chopped
400 g linguine
Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper
juice of 2 lemons
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
4–6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Place the crabs in a large saucepan with enough cold water to cover generously, add 3 tablespoons salt and slowly bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Remove the crabs from the pot and leave to cool.
Break the crabs open by pulling away the upper body shell. With a spoon remove the brown meat and put into a large bowl. Break the legs and claws from the bodies and pick out the white meat. Add this to the bowl of brown meat.
Remove and discard the tough outer leaves of the fennel bulbs and cut the bulbs lengthways into slices of about 1 cm. Remove the leaves from the fennel tops and chop coarsely. Add these chopped leaves to the crabmeat along with the chilli, lemon juice, parsley, salt and pepper. Slowly stir in the olive oil.
In a large saucepan, bring a generous amount of salted water to the boil. Add the sliced fennel, return to the boil and then add the pasta. Cook until the pasta is al dente, then drain. Return to the saucepan and stir in the crab mixture, adding more lemon juice or oil to taste.