Chef Scott Sanderson, the Executive Chef at SilverStar Mountain Resort, created this delicious and easy-to-make spaghetti. While he recommends a Pinot Gris in the recipe, any good-quality dry white wine would work just fine. I was also feeling a bit cheap to fork out the money for three king crab legs, and, instead, I simply substituted extra prawns. It was delicious.
Suggested pairing: Waterside Vineyard & Winery 2020 Siegerrebe (Shuswap, British Columbia, Canada)
Chili Crab and Prawn Spaghetti
100 grams spaghetti
12-14 large prawns
3 king crab legs, shelled and cut into one-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
2 whole serrano chilies, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup or 1 large red onion, minced
1 cup or 1/2 head fennel, diced
2.5 cups (approx. 5) Roma tomatoes, diced
1 lemon (zest and juice)
3 Tbsp (approx. 3 oz) ricotta cheese
1 bunch cilantro, minced, plus whole leaves for garnish
1/2 cup (125 mL) olive oil
3/4 cup (180 mL) Pinot Gris
Salt and pepper to taste
Lemon squeeze
Extra olive oil (to drizzle on top as a garnish)
Put 1/2 cup olive oil in heavy-bottomed large saucepan and turn heat on medium-high. Once warm, add minced onion and cook until onions are clear, three to five minutes.
Add finely minced serrano chilies, minced garlic, minced cilantro, diced fennel, and season with salt and pepper. Sauté for three to four minutes.
Add diced tomatoes, plus the zest and juice from the lemon, ricotta cheese, Pinot Gris. Stir together on medium heat and cover with lid for eight to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to let everything reduce into sauce.
Place spaghetti in large pot of boiling, salted water. Cook nine-10 minutes until al dente.
While pasta is cooking, peel, deveined and butterfly prawns. Turn sauce off and then place prawns and crab into the pan and cover. They will gently poach, cooking in the heat of the pan and sauce.
Once spaghetti is cooked, strain off pasta, reserving 3/4 cup (180 mL) pasta water to thin out sauce if needed. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Toss together, garnish with remaining cilantro leaves, a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately. Serves two.