Cioppino-Style Dungeness Crab

Alright, I'm completely happy that today is Friday. It's been a long, tiring week, and although I still have to work tomorrow, I can deal with it because I have Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday off of work. So not too shabby right? Especially because I've got Valentine's Day covered this year. I'm planning a 3-course dinner, but I don't want to ruin the surprise of the meal, so I'll have to let you all in on it on Monday! But it's just going to be fabulous!


Ingredients:
Adapted from Bon Appetit's Jan. 2010 Issue - "Cioppino-Style Roasted Crab"

1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
6 large garlic cloves, pressed (I just bought a garlic press from IKEA this past weekend and I LOVE it!)
3/4 cup chardonnay
1/4 cup sweet white wine
2 cups bottled clam juice
2 15 oz. cans diced fire roasted tomatoes, with juice
1 cup water
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
salt and black pepper to taste
2 Dungeness crabs, cooked, cleaned and broken down

Preheat your oven to 400 F.

Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven under medium heat and add onion & garlic. Saute until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Be careful not to let the garlic burn by stirring frequently.

Add both wines and bring to a boil for about 2 minutes. Add the clam juice, tomatoes w/ juice, 1 cup water, bay leaves, parsley, and red pepper. Bring this mixture to a boil as well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the crab pieces and roast, uncovered, in oven for about 15-20 minutes more. Serve in deep bowls/plates and with crunchy baguette.

Seriously, I was kind of skeptical about this recipe. I've never had crab in this way. Cioppino, itself, is an Italian fish stew of sorts, and substituting crab for the fish was just exceptional. I don't think I want to eat crab any other way, EVER! Well, maybe not ever, but this was just amazingly good. I had to drink the broth from my plate because it was so tasty and the crab was just excellent. Enjoy!

Spaghetti Aglio E Olio

If you're reading the title, most of you are like, aglio e olio what?!?! Don't be deterred by the fancy name, it's pretty much a simple rustic Italian dish. Quite easy, but timing is crucial! So make sure you have everything ready!

Recipe is from Rouxbe.com, an online cooking school that offers a free tutorial video everyday. So I highly recommend checking it out!

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
salt
1 package spaghetti pasta
1/2 cup cooking water from pasta
4 fresh basil leaves
parmesan cheese, to taste

Preheat your oven to your lowest setting. You won't actually be cooking any food in there, but instead warming up your plates. Pasta gets cold very quickly, so if you ever wondered why you always get a "hot plate" at most restaurants, it's to prevent food from getting cold before you can eat it! Cool huh?

Anyway, heat up a pot of COLD water and bring to a boil for the pasta. While you're waiting for that, slice the garlic up thinly and get your red pepper flakes ready.


In a large pan, add half of the olive oil, the garlic, and the pepper flakes. Do not turn the heat on just yet. Just let the ingredients mingle with eachother.

When pasta water is at a boil, add salt and stir. Add the spaghetti to the water and stir until you make sure the pasta will not stick.

While the pasta is cooking, turn the garlic on to medium heat. Spread it out enough so that it evenly cooks, but not too far apart, as it will burn easily. As soon as you hear the garlic sizzling, remove it from the heat and let sit while the pasta continues to cook.

Place your plates in the oven to get warm. I put mine right on the rack and they were fine. Just be careful when taking them out because they will be quite hot.

When your pasta reaches al dente, drain the pasta and remember to reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water! Once the pasta is drained, add it into the pan with the garlic.


Turn the heat back on to medium and add in cooking water. Toss to coat pasta and stir until pasta water is entirely evaporated. Add salt to taste and tear some fresh basil leaves on top and toss to coat.

Turn off the heat and then add remaining olive oil and add as much parmesan cheese as you would like. I added about 1/4 to 1/2 cup.

Serve pasta on warm plates and top with additional parmesan or basil leaves! Enjoy!