Corn And Lima Bean Pasta Salad With Crab Recipes

PASTA WITH CORN AND LIMA BEANS

Steps:

• 1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Rinse in cold water and drain well.
• 2. Cook corn (in the husks), 2 ears at a time, in the microwave on high for 3 1/2 minutes. Shuck, cool and cut kernels from the cob.
• 3. Cook lima beans according to package directions. Rinse with cold water and drain well.
• 4. In a large bowl, combine pasta, corn, lima beans, tomatoes and green onions.
• 5. In a small bowl, combine oil, vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, parsley, salt and pepper. Adjust seasoning. Pour over pasta and mix well.
• 6. Sprinkle with bacon bits just before serving - Or serve on the side. (If you are vegetarian, you can use artificial bacon bits or omit)

LIMA BEAN AND CORN SALAD

Steps:

• Fry bacon until crisp, drain and crumble.
• Blanch lima beans in lightly salted boiling water about 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Blanch corn in unsalted boiling water until crisp-tender, 3-5 minutes. As vegetables complete cooking, drain in colander and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking and refresh the vegetables.
• Combine beans, corn, scallions, bacon, mayonnaise and vinegar. Toss to coat and add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate 2 to 4 hours for flavors to blend.

CRAB SALAD NAPOLEONS WITH FRESH PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Drain pasta and cool under cold running water. Cut each sheet into 4-inch squares. Each Napoleon will require 3 (4-inch) squares.
• In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, 1/4 cup of the chives, lemon juice, pepper, crab, and peas, and toss to combine.
• To assemble the Napoleons, begin with 1 sheet of pasta on a plate. Spread a small spoonful of prepared mayonnaise on the pasta sheet. Top with 1/4 cup of the crab salad and gently spread the salad out to the edges of the pasta. Top with another sheet of pasta. Spread another spoonful of the prepared mayonnaise mixture on the pasta sheet. Top with another 1/4 cup of the crab salad and gently spread the salad out to the edges of the pasta sheet. Top with a final pasta sheet. Top with a small dollop of the crab salad. Sprinkle the top with a pinch of lemon zest, a pinch of chives, and a grind of black pepper.

WAX BEAN "PASTA" SALAD

Steps:

• For the spinach-basil pesto dressing: Place the basil, spinach, oil and lemon juice in a food processor or blender, then puree until smooth. Add the pine nuts and a salt, if using, and blend again until the mixture has the consistency of a dressing. Add more oil or lemon juice as needed for your desired consistency. Set aside.
• For the wax bean salad: Cut the beans into pasta-size pieces, about 1 1/2 inches long. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a large skillet or saute pan and place over medium-high heat. Carefully add the wax beans to the hot skillet in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the skillet. Cook the beans until they've softened a little bit and charred where they've touched the pan, 3 to 5 minutes. Toss the beans with a wooden spoon and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. Place the cooked beans in a large serving bowl. Continue cooking, adding more oil as needed, until all the beans have been sauteed.
• Add half the pesto dressing, the cherry tomatoes and the shallot if using to the serving bowl and toss with the warm wax beans until combined. Add more pesto to taste and save the remainder of the dressing to serve on the side. Cover and refrigerate the salad and dressing for up to 2 days.

CREAMY CRAB AND PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta shells 10 to 12 minutes, until al dente, and drain.
• In a bowl, blend the sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, honey mustard, and dill. Season with salt and pepper.
• In a large bowl, toss together the cooked pasta, sour cream mixture, crabmeat, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and green onions. Cover and chill until serving.

SPICY CRAB AND CORN PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the spaghetti and cook, tossing occasionally, until al dente. Scoop out 1 cup pasta water, then drain the pasta and set aside. Zest, then juice the lemon, and set aside to use later.
• Meanwhile, in a large (12-inch) skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-low. Add the garlic, red-pepper flakes, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook for 1 minute, stirring often, until fragrant. Add the panko and cook, stirring occasionally, until the panko begins to brown. At that point, begin stirring almost constantly and cook until the crumbs are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside, reserving the skillet.
• Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter, along with the wine. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to melt the butter, and add the corn kernels. Cook until the corn is tender and the liquid is reduced by about half, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside until the pasta is ready.
• Add the reserved pasta water to the skillet, along with 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, then add the cooked pasta and cook, tossing often, until about half the liquid has been absorbed, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the crab and parsley, toss, and cook for 1 more minute, until the crab is heated through. Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice, then the Parmesan, and toss until the cheese is melted. Taste for seasonings and add salt to taste.
• Serve the pasta in shallow bowls, topped with a generous sprinkle of bread crumbs, lemon zest, basil and more red-pepper flakes if desired.