Crab & asparagus pappardelle

Crab is so good right now, and dressed crab from the supermarket or fishmonger works well here. Once you’ve prepped your ingredients, this takes just minutes to cook, and pairs well with a simply dressed, peppery rocket salad.

SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 15 mins EASY

1 tbsp olive oil pinch of fennel seeds

½ red chilli, finely chopped 2 shallots, finely chopped small bunch parsley, stalks finely chopped, leaves roughly chopped ½ lemon, zested and juiced 1 tbsp tomato purée 50ml vermouth

1 dressed crab (about 120g white and brown meat) 200g fresh egg pappardelle 200g asparagus, woody stalks removed, sliced on the diagonal (fatter stalks sliced in half lengthways) 1 tbsp crème fraîche

1 tbsp chopped chives handful chopped hazelnuts 1 Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan. Add the fennel seeds, chilli, shallots, parsley stalks, lemon zest and seasoning, and fry for about 5 mins, or until softened and aromatic. Add the tomato purée, cook for a couple of mins, then deglaze with the vermouth. Add half the crabmeat, stir to create a thick sauce, then remove from the heat while you cook the pasta.

2 Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta until al dente. With 3 mins remaining, add the asparagus, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the pasta and asparagus to the crab pan. Put the crab pan back on the heat, add a couple of spoonfuls of pasta water to loosen and toss together, coating the pasta in the sauce. Add the rest of the crabmeat, crème fraîche and lemon juice, and warm through. Divide between plates and garnish with parsley, chives and hazelnuts.

GOOD TO KNOW healthy • calcium • vit c • iron • folate • fibre • 2 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 576 kcals • fat 20g • saturates 4g • carbs 60g • sugars 7g • fibre 8g • protein 30g • salt 0.6g