Chef Sean Connolly's Crab Linguini with Lemon and Chilli. Photography by Buffet Digital. QT Sydney’s signature restaurant, Gowings, reopened in March under the creative culinary direction of Sean Connolly. Inspired by New York’s Little Italy and steakhouse scene, the re-imagined Gowings is an electric expression of simultaneously elegant and unpretentious Italian cuisine. The menu focuses on showcasing clean, crisp flavours, beautiful seafood, fresh pasta and recognises the best Australian pasture and grain-fed beef, in what Connolly describes as “a melting pot of Italian food and great Australian beef and produce – what’s not to love?”
Connolly has gifted T Australia his recipe for crab linguini with lemon and chilli. “Don’t be unnerved by the lemon butter sauce,” he advises. “It’s extremely simple and well worth taking the time to reduce the wine. Using a stick blender to add the butter will ensure your sauce will stay smooth and silky and no chance of splitting.”
Crab linguini with lemon and chilli
Serves 2
250g linguini
150g picked, cooked crab meat
1 long red chilli, thinly sliced
½ bunch of chives, finely chopped
2 tsp ocean trout roe
Lemon butter sauce
500ml white wine
60ml lemon juice
100g butter, chopped
For the lemon butter sauce, place the wine in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Continue cooking for 10-15 minutes or until reduced by half. Add the lemon juice and bring back to the boil. Add half the butter and allow to come back to the boil. Remove from the heat and using a stick blender, blend until the butter is incorporated. Repeat with remaining butter. Season well with salt and pepper and keep warm.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta according to packet instructions. If you want your pasta al dente, remove it 1 minute earlier. Drain pasta.
Place the sauce over a low heat and add the crab meat to warm gently for 2-3 minutes. Add the pasta and toss to coat in the sauce.
Serve the pasta topped with the sliced chilli, trout roe and chopped chives.
