Dungeness Crab Linguine

Courtesy Michael Rotondo, executive chef, Coastal Kitchen, Monterey Plaza Hotel The new edition of Coastal Kitchen, which opened inside the Monterey Plaza Hotel early this year, has finally brought the tasting menu concept to Monterey. Executive chef Michael Rotondo isn’t holding back on the opportunity to explore this creative endeavor. But while you may not replicate the intricate dishes you eat at the restaurant at home (black cod with roasted coconut jus?), his goal is quite simple: to highlight our regional bounty.

Rotondo got into pasta at a very early age, with some of his first cooking memories making fresh pasta with his mom. “I recall the playfulness of rolling out dough, the aroma which fresh pasta permeates and, of course, how it brought our family together at the dinner table,” he says. Personally, his favorite pasta dish to eat is “any pasta that is made with love! Texture is very important to me so the pasta has to be al dente and can’t be drowned in sauce, which is one of the reasons I prefer dried pasta to fresh.” He shares a seafood recipe with us, fitting for the Coastal Kitchen’s location at eyeball view of the Monterey Bay, which is a perfect use of dried linguine, paired with seasonal Dungeness crab.

3 tablespoons plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons minced shallots 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon chili flakes 2 tablespoons pesto sauce ½ cup cherry tomatoes 1 cup chardonnay ½ pound dried linguine 2 to 4 ounces Dungeness crab, freshly picked Salt to taste 2 tablespoons lemon juice 3 tablespoons avocado, diced 2 tablespoons fresh parsley 1 tablespoon lemon zest 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan (optional) In a medium-sized sauté pan, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil and place over medium heat. Add the shallots, garlic and chili flakes and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the shallots are translucent and you can smell the garlic. Add the pesto sauce, cherry tomatoes and cook for 1 minute, so the pesto sauce releases some flavor. Add the wine, which will be the base of your pasta sauce. Reduce the wine by 1/3 or until the alcohol is cooked out (about 2 to 3 minutes).

Cook the pasta by following the cooking directions on the package. Cook for the minimum amount of time so the pasta doesn’t overcook. Drain pasta, reserving 4 tablespoons of cooking liquid. Return pasta to the pan, toss with 1 tablesoon olive oil and Dungeness crab meat, reserving a few pieces for garnish. Cook on low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, add back reserved cooking liquid to coat the pasta. Season with salt and lemon juice. Use tongs to divide pasta into four bowls, covering with the wine sauce and garnishing with reserved crab, diced avocado, chopped parsley, lemon zest and Parmesan (optional). Serves 4.

GUIDE TO Pasta SHAPES AND SAUCES

What most home cooks have to understand is that the pasta needs to be the star!” —Chef Michael Rotondo

Thin shapes = light sauces, olive oil based Spaghetti cacio e pepe Capellini pomodoro

Stuffed p asta = minimal sauces Ravioli with brown butter Tortellini in brodo

Long, flat noodle shape = wet, rich sauces to coat and layer Pappardelle bolognese Fettuccine alfredo

Tube shapes = ragus and thick sauces Rigatoni with tomato cream Penne ragu bianco

Short pasta shapes = chunky sauces (to get stuck inside the nooks and crannies, to cling to each noodle) Fusilli con pesto Ziti alla norma

Tiny pasta = soups or broth Minestrone con orzo Pasta e fagioli