Crab Boil Pasta

This pasta tastes best and is most cost effective when made from the leftovers of a crab (or other Louisiana seafood) boil. Feel free to mix and match your favorite boil ingredients. Substitute and adjust according to tastes and what’s in your boil.

Recipe by: Addie K. Martin of Culicurious.com

Yield: 4 dinner-sized portions

Total time: 45 minutes (not including the time it takes to boil the crabs)

Ingredients:

• 1-16 ounce box of shaped pasta (preferably elbows or cavatelli)
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 onion, chopped (from the boil)
• 1-3” piece of sausage, chopped (from the boil)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped (from the boil)
• 2 half-sized ears of corn, kernels cut off cobs  (from the boil)
• 1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped (from the boil)
• up to 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
• Additional salt and cayenne pepper, to taste
• 1 cup crabmeat (any combination of claws, tailfin, lump)
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Preparation Method:

1. Prepare the pasta according to package directions. Drain water, but reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Cool the pasta with tap water and set aside for now.
2. In a 5.5 quart pot (or similar size), melt the butter then add the onion, sausage, and kosher salt. Stir well and cook until the sausage and onions are heated through, about three minutes.
3. Add the garlic, stir well, and cook until garlic is fragrant, about one minute.
4. Next add the corn kernels and mushrooms, stir well, and continue to cook until the entire mixture is heated through and bubbling, about three more minutes.
5. Add the pasta water slowly, adding up to 1/2 cup, until the water is at the level of the ingredients.
6. Bring mixture to a boil then add the cooked pasta. Stir well to ensure that pasta and other ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.
7. Taste the dish and adjust salt and pepper, if desired.
8. Gently fold in the crabmeat and parmesan cheese, careful not to break up the crab meat.

Serve with crusty French bread and/or a simple green salad and enjoy!