Crab Cioppino

This is the meal I made for my Grandma's birthday when they stopped on their way to Texas. It is probably the best crab I have ever had, and made wonderful crab cakes the next day.

This recipe comes straight from Bon Appetit January 2010.

Parmesan Toasts with Prosciutto and Fig Jam

12 1/4-inch-thick baguette slices
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
6 slices prosciutto, each slice cut crosswise into 4 pieces
2 tablespoons fig jam

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place baguette slices in single layer on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Divide Parmesan equally among slices. Bake until lightly toasted, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven and drizzle with additional olive oil.
Top each slice with 2 prosciutto pieces; top with dollop of fig jam. Sprinkle with pepper. Serve Parmesan toasts slightly warm or at room temperature.

Cioppino-Style Roasted Crab

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
6 large garlic cloves, pressed
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups bottled clam juice
2 15-ounce cans chopped tomatoes in juice
1 cup water
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup (packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon (scant) dried crushed red pepper
Coarse kosher salt
2 pounds Alaska king crab legs

Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat oil in large deep ovenproof skillet or large metal roasting pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add wine; increase heat to high and boil 2 minutes. Add clam juice, tomatoes with juice, 1 cup water, bay leaves, parsley, and crushed red pepper and bring to boil. Season to taste with coarse salt and pepper.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 15 minutes. Add crab pieces; nestle into sauce. Transfer skillet to oven and roast until crab pieces are heated through, 15 to 20 minutes. Place crab with juices in large bowl.

Lemon-Parsley Linguine

1/2 pound linguine
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium garlic cloves, pressed
1 teaspoon (packed) finely grated lemon peel
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Cook linguine in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.
Meanwhile, heat extra-virgin olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; sauté until golden, about 1 minute. Add grated lemon peel to skillet and cook 20 seconds. Remove skillet from heat.
Add linguine to skillet with garlic and lemon peel. Return skillet to medium heat; mix in parsley. Add 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Toss until heated through, adding more cooking liquid to moisten if dry.

How to Use the Leftovers -- Crab Cake Sandwiches with Lemon-Parsley Aioli:

Preheat broiler. Squeeze 1 medium garlic clove through garlic press and mix with 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley to make a quick aioli. Remove leftover crabmeat from shells to yield about 8 ounces (1 1/2 cups). Mix crabmeat with 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs and 1/4 cup aioli. Form into 4 crab cakes. Place crab cakes on lightly oiled baking sheet. Broil cakes on center rack until golden and heated through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Split soft buns and spread additional aioli on bun halves; fill with crab cakes