Roasted Fennel, Tomato, and Crab with Pasta

Living on Cape Cod there is no shortage of fresh seafood from the various fishmongers and even straight from the dock. While the fishing industry has decreased over the years, it remains an integral part of the Cape´s culture and history. You would think that crab was easy to acquire as they are frequent visitors to lobster traps, but alas, no. There isn’t a large market for them around here and finding them fresh is a special treat to crab lovers like me.

The next best thing is to buy pasteurized fresh crab meat in the refrigerator section at the grocery store or if desperate, the canned variety of which there is a wide variation in quality. It’s not all bad though as the fresh meat is minimally processed and already picked from the shell and quite convenient. It has become an easy standby for quick meals although, Iĺl mention, that you can easily use shrimp in this recipe and it will be just as quick and tasty! The meals have also been the definition of the “mother of invention” as I get inspired on the spot by what I have on hand.

This past summer due to CoVid-19, I thankfully came upon an advertisement in a local group dedicated to information about the virus. A young man who has a small farm up closer to Boston was offering a weekly delivery of produce from his farm as well as other local small growers. It was sort of a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) format in that you got what was currently being harvested but the difference was getting to choose weekly whether you wanted a delivery or not. And that delivery? It was included in the low price and it was brought, contactless, straight to our doorstep. It was a great opportunity to get exposed to vegetables that my family had never had before. One item that we received was a fennel bulb and whilst it certainly wasn’t new to us, it wasn’t something that I would think to put on my shopping list.

It was that offering that birthed the creation of this dish coupled with a pint of grape tomatoes. To be honest the tomatoes had seen better days due to forgetting about them in the overflowing fruit basket. Thankfully, roasting covers a multitude of sins and rescued the sad nightshade. While this particular recipe calls for a lengthy roasting time to soften and caramelize the fennel, the rest of the meal comes together rather quickly. Also, there are two ways to turn this into a quick 15 min meal prep. One is simply roasting and freezing a bunch of sliced fennel and taking out what you need for a particular meal or fresh fennel is lovely to eat. You can add varying textures by sautéing the stalks as described in the recipe and adding the fresh bulb by shaving it into thin strips as well as the fresh tomatoes. It would be quite refreshing on a hot summer day.

Either way, the hint of the anise flavored vegetable paired with the sweetness of the tomato, salty-sweet crab and acidic bite of the lemon will sure to satisfy any time of the year.

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seafood, crab, pasta, fennel, summer

Yield: 4

Author: Corinne Minshall

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Roasted Fennel, Tomato and Crab with Pasta

This simple pasta dish embodies the freshness and flavors of summer while imbuing the cozy heartiness you experience in autumnal dishes, making it a versatile year-round meal.

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 45 MinInactive time: 30 MinTotal time: 1 H & 30 M

Ingredients

• 1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs
• 1 dry pint grape tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped
• 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 Tbsp fresh chives, chopped
• Olive Oil
• 2 Tbsp salted butter
• 8oz Lump Crap Meat
• 1 lemon, juiced and zested, separately
• 8oz dried long pasta or 12 oz of fresh long pasta
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

Pre-game: Fennel and Tomato PrepMain Event: Meal Prep

1. Preheat oven to 350℉/180℃
2. Scrub the fennel clean.
3. Trim off the stalks with fronds where they meet the bulb and reserve them.
4. Trim the root end so it is stable.
5. Cut the bulb in quarters cutting straight down from the top to the root end.
6. Lay the quarters on their sides and cut 1/4 inch slices, crossways starting at the top of the bulb working down to the last inch of the root end.
7. Repeat with each quarter and discard root end.
8. Slice each tomato in half.
9. Spread the fennel slices and tomato halves on a baking sheet and toss lightly with some olive oil.
10. Roast for 45 minutes or until fennel is soft.

Main Event: Meal Prep

1. Remove fronds from the fennel stalk and set aside and cut the stalks into 1/8th inch medallions.
2. Bring 2 quarts of salted water to a boil and add pasta, cooking according to directions*.
3. Sauté the stalk medallions in a splash of olive oil and cook until soft and translucent and add garlic, cooking until fragrant.
4. Add 1 tsp of the butter plus the mint, parsley, and chives and continue to cook for 1 minute.
5. Add the crab meat and cook until heated throughout.
6. Add the roasted fennel, tomatoes, lemon juice, and lemon zest, tossing with the crab mixture.
7. Drain the pasta and add the rest of the butter, tossing to coat.
8. Divide and plate the pasta and top each serving with 1/4 of the crab mixture.
9. Garnish with fennel fronds and serve.

Notes:

• If you use fresh pasta, plan accordingly for the quick cook time.

http://www.myjourneybacktobasics.com/blog/fennel-tomato-crab-pasta

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