CORNISH CRAB LINGUINE WITH CHILLI, LEMON AND PARSLEY

Nothing says Cornwall quite like crab, and this delicious dish contains textures and flavours to elicit pure happiness – crab, pasta, lemon, parsley, chilli, Parmesan and olive oil. Crab is available in most good supermarkets or, even better, head to your local fishmonger. If you are on holiday in Cornwall, find a fisherman to point you in the right direction!

SERVES 4

300g dried linguine 250g fresh white Cornish crab meat, picked over for pieces of shell

2 fresh red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped

1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Juice and zest (optional) of 1 lemon

100g Parmesan, grated 150ml olive oil, for drizzling Cornish sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, add the pasta and cook according to the packet instructions.

Meanwhile, combine the crab meat in a large bowl with the chilli, parsley, lemon juice and zest, if using. Stir together.

Drain the pasta (reserve some of the cooking water) and add to the crab sauce along with a couple of tablespoons of the pasta cooking water. Use tongs to thoroughly mix the pasta with the crab so all the pasta gets a good coating of sauce.

Serve in warmed bowls and sprinkle over a generous amount of Parmesan cheese, a drizzle of olive oil and a grinding of black pepper. This fresh-tasting dish pairs well with a cold glass of sauvignon blanc.