chilli oil crab pasta

[nathank]

This is my favourite mudcrab pasta recipie and is perfect for summer.

2 mud crabs cooked, chilled and picked.
4 cups penne pasta cooked
200mls extra virgin olive oil.
1 fresh stick lemon grass
2 to 4 birdseye chillis (depends how how ya like it)
3 cloves of garlic.
1 bunch rocket leaves
2 red capsicum roasted peeled and sliced
handfull of good quality parmesan (not the stinky stuff in a can)
Dill to garnish


this can all be done before hand and takes litterally 2 secs to put together.
heat the oil,chopped lemon grass,garlic and chilli in a small pot. bring slowly to about 90 degrees or so. (the longer you keep it at this temp the more the chilli will develop. set aside to cool. in a stainless bowl place the crab, rocket leaves, capsicum and pasta(heated up) dress the pasta with the flavoured oil to suit and toss in the parmesan. garnish with fresh chopped dill.

note: this is served as a warm pasta dish its only the pasta that is heated.
ENJOY!!!!!

[sleepygreg]

when i can get someone to 'donate' a couple of mud crabs I will be glad to give this one a go. Though I will probably use a spiral pasta rather than penne. Have a thing about penne not picking up the sauce.

[URAGANGI]

I like it I, like it alot.......(with bowl in hand)...."Please Sir may I have more?"
The next one that finds it's way in the pots GET'S IT!
Your choice of mixed herb's come oil, clever touch.
cheers
Gav.

[kc]

Here's a little "pro tip" which will enhance this dish and just about anything else you ever cook with garlic.......roast it first. Just take whole bulbs, slice off the very top, place them in a roasting tray and drizzle over a little olive oil and then into a med hot oven for 45 minutes. Cool a bit...Squeeze out the roastde garlic, which will be brown, soft and gooey and then use just like you would normally (only use twice the amount.......a absolute cooking apifeny (probabely spelt that wrong). EVERYTHING you cook with garlic is amazingly better with roasted garlic.

I have been involved in the food game for over 30 years, owned restaurants since I was 23 (currently have 3) and this is the best thing I have ever come across in all my years "on the pans". I would also (in this dish) add a knob of good quaility butter to the oil...again you will be amazed at the difference a bit of butter makes to an oil based sauce.

KC

[nathank]

Yep good point there KC, i was a chef for 11 years (had to get out) was taking up too much fishing time lol. this dish was something i came up with and was at a restaraunt called Lotus in Potts Point Sydney (one of Justin Hemmes) roasting garlic mellows the flavour and gives it whole other taste for sure. With this dish though it had to be a bit more intense to permiate the oil if being added to the dish directly i would deffinatly roast it first. I like the butter idea though

[sandyd]

This sounds like it is to die for thanks for sharing. KC thanks for the tip on the garlic. Why do you use twice the amount is that just your preference or does the cooking process lessen the concentrate of the flavor?

[kc]

Hi Sandy,

Roasting lessens the intensity and so improves the flavour you are always looking for more=)

One of the best single cookig tips you will ever get. I roast the stuff by the kilo and never use fresh garlic in anthing in the restaurants any more. Last time I looked on trip advisor we were ranked number 1 of all restaurants on the Great Barrier Reef and about number 7 in Qld ...so we are doing something right.

KC

[nathank]

KC.. thats very cool mate. congrats on your ranking. Wots the restaurant?

[kc]

Fish D'Vine and the Rum Bar. Airlie Beach.

Had a big fire few weeks ago and currently closed while they fix up. Will re-open first week of September.

www.fishdvine.com.au

[sleepygreg]

great to see you will be up and running again soon KC. chomping at the bit to get up there again and sample your wares.

Greg

[Boab Bribie]

Stop it
KC and Nathank the both of you are making my mouth water just reading about cooking the crabs let alone actually trying it. Thanks for the recipie and the tips i will sure give it a go in the summer. I am will try it with 4 sandies instead i am sure it will be as good.

Cheers BOAB BRIBIE

[kc]

Maybe a culinary inspired Meet & Greet. Bit of fishin', few crabs, plenty of rum and a master class/dinner at the restaurant. Might be a bit of fun!

Kev

[sleepygreg]

Kev, you can count me in on that one, maybe it can be our first (the other one didnt pan out) M&G that I proposed in another post on this forum. I am always up for a 'Masterclass' when it comes to cooking seafood. (not to mention the rums).

Greg

[nathank]

Menu looks awsome KC, will deffo pop in next time im up.. nothing better than good seafood cooked by someone who knows what they are doing..

[kc]

Check it. Website has been upgraded and we re-open Monday 12th September with the biggest opening bash of the year in Airlie

www.fishdvine.com.aau