Crab and Clam Strozzapreti

Inspiration for this dish comes from the bounty of shellfish and crabs that can be harvested on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Here, clams are carefully gathered by hand in the sandy and muddy shallows of our surrounding inlets at low tide. Their tender, flavorful meat reflects the essence of the Pacific. Dungeness crabs are typically harvested using traps that sit on the ocean floor of these same inlets, and they are prized for their sweet and delicate meat.

This recipe from Chef Jesse-Ray Laking celebrates these local treasures, combining them with cured pork jowl, garlic, shallots, lemon, fresh herbs, and Pecorino Romano. These ingredients come together atop Strozzapreti pasta in a creamy white wine sauce.

Ingredients

• 8-12 Clams (Butter and Littleneck), scrubbed
• 1 large Dungeness crab, legs and claws picked over
• 1 cup cured pork jowl, cut into small cubes
• 2 large garlic cloves, sliced thin
• 1 large shallot, cut in brunoise
• 1.5 cups dry white wine
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 0.5 cup fish stock
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 2 tbsp. Italian parsley leaves, cut into chiffonade
• 1 tbsp. fresh thyme, leaves picked
• 1 tbsp. chives, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried chili flakes
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 4 tbsp. Pecorino Romano, grated
• Salt and fresh ground pepper
• 16 ounces dried Strozzapreti pasta
  
  
  
  

Instructions

1. Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add strozzapreti and cook until al dente. Strain and set aside.
2. In a large sauce pan, cook pork jowl in olive oil until fat is rendered out and cubes are lightly browned.
3. Add thyme, chili flakes, garlic and shallots, cook until softened.
4. Add clams, fish stock and white wine into pan. Cover and cook until clams have opened up (3-4 min).
   
   
   
   
   
5. Removes clams from pan and reduce liquid by half before adding heavy cream. Reduce further by 1/3.
6. Stir in crab meat with lemon juice and zest. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper.
7. Toss strozzapreti with sauce.
8. Serve in a large bowl, garnish with cooked clams in their shells, parsley, chives, and Pecorino Romano.