Jamie Oliver’s Lovely Crab Linguine (simplified!)

“Jamie, English please!!!”

I pride myself on reading and understanding English…but Jamie just confuses me!!!! Usually I have to go through his recipes a few times to understand what he wants… :P
Perhaps the editor of his ‘Cook with Jamie’ cookbook want the ‘instructions’ to sound as if Jamie is right there cooking with you…..ahh well… here’s the simplified version…I hope it does the dish justice..!!

Lovely Crab linguine
serves 4-6, depending on appetite

Ingredients:
1 heaped teaspoon fennel seeds
2-3 fresh red chillies, deseeded and very finely chopped (1 tsp reserved for garnish)
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 fennel bulb, outer leaves removed, halved and very finely shaved with a speed peeler, herby tops reserved for garnish
140ml extra virgin oil, plus extra for drizzling ( I used around 100ml)
400g freshly picked white crabmeat, 150 freshly picked brown crabmeat (used 175g canned crab and a slice of smoked red snapper)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
a bunch of medium sized asparagus, trimmed and finely shaved (reserved in a bowl of ice water)
500g linguine or spaghetti

dressing for aspargus:
1 tbs lemon juice
1 tsp olive oil
pinch of salt

Method:
1. Toast and grind up fennel seeds with mortar and pestle.
2. Heat oil gently in a pan. Add fennel seeds and chilli first, toss til fragrant. Add lemon zest, juice, fennel and crabmeat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
3. Boil pasta according to package instructions.
4. Combine crab mixture and pasta, adding a bit cooking water or seasoning as necessary.
5. Dress asparagus with lemon juice, olive oil and salt. Sprawl all over on top with the reserved chilli and fennel tops. Serve immediately.

Additional comments:
The shaving of the asparagus and fennel…took almost an hour!!! I couldn’t believe it!!! No wonder he specified the use of a speed shaver….Haa….think the veggies looks much more interesting this way but perhaps slicing/ chopping it would have been fine too… :P
And cos I misread the instructions, I combined the asparagus together with the fennel so all the shaving was in vain cos they just wilted….but next time I will do it properly….
Taste-wise…?? Really refreshing!! Can be served hot or cold I reckon…and would work equally well with octopus, squid or fish.