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Sea Shells with Creamy Basil-Tarragon Pistou, Crab, and Sweet Peas
serves 4

Shells with Crab and Tarragon PistouIngredients

  • 1 pound sea shell pasta
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 ounces basil, the leaves of which will equal about 1 cup packed
  • The leaves from 4 stems tarragon
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan or Pecorino cheese
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup thawed frozen petite peas
  • 1 pound jumbo lump crab meat

Procedure

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt it, and add in the pasta shells. Stir, and cook until al dente. Drain.
  2. Meanwhile, make the pistou. Obliterate the garlic clove in the food processor, and then add the basil and tarragon leaves. Pulse to chop. Add in the lemon zest, lemon juice, pepper, and a good amount of salt. Run the machine and drizzle in the olive oil. Decant the pistou to a bowl, and stir in the Parmesan cheese.
  3. Once you've drained the pasta, put the pot back on the stove on low heat. Add in the cream, pistou, peas, and crab meat. Make sure you go through the crab meat to make sure there are no shells, and to break it up a bit. Toss and heat through.
  4. Add the pasta back into the pot, and toss to combine. Serve immediately.
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