I am really not a pasta fan. I rarely eat the stuff. However, I’ve been intrigued to try these little rice-like orzo for a while now. So tonight was the night. Fried with some potted crab, mixed with some fresh lemon which was delicious and as welcome as a priest at a wedding here, scattered with fresh herbs like confetti on a bride. Please excuse the wedding metaphors. The Great British Bake Off final has just finished and the ultimate challenge was wedding cakes….
I served mine with some crispy fried seabass fillets, one of my favourites of the fish world, and some wilted spinach and peas for freshness. See what you think.
Serves 2
- 160g orzo pasta
- Up to 60g potted crab in spices (I used the 57g pot of ‘Seafood & Eat It’ potted crab) Or use fresh crab- even better!
- Large handful parsley, chopped finely
- Large handful chives, chopped finely
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
- 2 seabass fillets
- Boil the pasta in salted water for about 7 minutes until cooked.
- While cooking, fry the crab in a little hot oil for a few minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving a splash of the cooking water, and while still loose and warm, add to the frying crab and stir to combine.
- Add a splash of the cooking water if dry.
- Add the herbs, the lemon zest, seasoning and the juice of the lemon.
5. Keep warm while you fry the fish. Season the fillets and score the skin to stop it from curling in the pan.
6. Fry in a little hot oil for about 3 minutes, skin side down until mostly cooked. Finish on the other side for a final few minutes. Add a knob of butter to the pan and let brown while basting the fish. Serve on top of the orzo with some wilted spinach and peas.
