Grilled red mullet with crab and lemon garganelli
- Prepare
- 1-2 hours
- Cook
- 30 mins to 1 hour
- Serve
- Serves 4–6
Impress a loved one with this light lemon and crab pasta served with grilled red mullet. Perfect for sunny spring evenings.
Ingredients
For the steeped lemons
- 2 seedless, unwaxed lemons
- 3 tsp caster sugar
For the fresh pasta
For the seafood
- 2 whole red mullets, head on, kipper cut and pin boned (200–300g/7–10½oz each)
- 50ml/2fl oz olive oil, plus extra to coat the fish
- 1 tsp dried chili flakes
- 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
- 300g/10½oz cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 300g/10½oz picked white crabmeat
- 4 spring onions, thinly sliced
- 20g/¾oz coriander, roughly chopped
- 20g/¾oz mint, roughly chopped
To serve
Method
To make the steeped lemons, segment the lemons and juice the carcasses. Add the juice to a small saucepan along with the sugar and 3 tsp water.
Bring the lemon juice to the boil then add the lemon segments. Remove from the heat and allow to steep for at least 5 minutes.
To make the pasta, pour the flour onto a work surface and make a well in the centre. Add the egg yolks to the well and drizzle over the olive oil. Slowly incorporate the flour into the eggs until you form a rough dough.
Wrap the dough in cling film and leave to rest for minimum of 20 minutes.
Once the pasta has rested, roll the dough through a pasta machine, dusting it with flour, until you get to thickness setting number 3.
Cut the pasta into 40cm/16in long sheets, then cut these into 5–7cm/2–3in squares, and place one onto a gnocchi board in a diamond shape.
Place a wooden dowel, pencil or handle of a wooden spoon at the bottom of the diamond and curl the bottom corner over the handle and start to roll up. Continue to roll until it creates a tube and press down so the corner sticks down. Each one should slide off once complete. Repeat for the remaining squares and place on the tray. Set aside until the crab base is ready.
To make the seafood, begin by checking the red mullet for any pin bones. Cover liberally with olive oil and season well. Lay on an oven-proof tray skin side up.
In a sperate pan warm the olive oil with the chilli flakes and sliced garlic over a low heat until fragrant. Add the quartered tomatoes and allow to cook lightly for 1–2 minutes.
Add the crab, poached lemon segments, 1 teaspoon of the poaching lemon liquor and spring onions to the cooked tomato base. Heat a grill to high.
Place the red mullet under the preheated grill and cook the fish until the skin blisters. This will take around 5–8 minutes, depending on the size of your fish.
Remove from the grill and season with lemon juice and olive oil. Set to one side to rest in a plate that can collect its juices.
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta for 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and add the cooked pasta to the crab tomato base with the fresh herbs. Season and add fresh lemon zest.
Pour the juices from the resting red mullet over the pasta.
Place the grilled red mullet on a large oval plate with a dash more olive oil. Serve the crab garganelli in a separate bowl.
