Crab Linguine in Marsala Cream Sauce

CSA started this week!  Which means, this early in the year, mostly salad :)   

On a tragic note, the Refrigerator Apocalypse happened this weekend... my fridge broke and my epically awesome husband diagnosed it, which meant we did NOT have to buy a new one, and my epically awesome father-in-law knew someone who was willing to come and fix it on a Sunday morning.  Saved the day, but not the food.  I had to throw an awful lot out.  But I was freaking out because I had a bushel of produce coming on Monday.

Considering the Fridgepocalypse (and the fact that after paying to repair the fridge I couldn't really afford to restock it), I'm pretty happy that I managed to pull together this meal.  It was pretty awesome.  You want the recipe?  Sure, I'll share.

Crab Linguine in Marsala Cream Sauce

1 cup Marsala wine

1 cup 2% milk

1 cup evaporated milk

8 ounces uncooked linguine

4 Tablespoons of butter, separated

1 Tablespoon flour

1 stalk of green garlic, chopped

1 green onion, chopped

5-6 Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced

 1-2 Tablespoons of lemon juice (more if you like lemon flavor, less if you don't)

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 package imitation crab meat

Parmesan cheese (freshly grated, preferably, or flaky, NOT Kraft)

Finely snipped fresh parsley

Freshly ground pepper

Put your pasta water on to boil.  

Put the Marsala in a small-medium saucepan with the heat on medium.  Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup.  Stir in 2% and evaporated milk, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until reduced to around 1 1/2 cups.  Remove from heat.

Put the linguine in your boiling water and cook al dente.

Meanwhile, put 2 Tablespoons of butter in a deep skillet or wok.  Saute the green garlic and green onion in the butter, until the white parts start to turn translucent.  Throw in the mushrooms and saute lightly.  Remove the sauteed vegetables to the other pan with your cooling milk mixture.

Put the other 2 Tablespoons of butter in the skillet/wok.  Stir in the flour until a paste forms.  Then, add the milk mixture.  Add lemon juice and salt.  Cook and stir (pretty much constantly, make sure you don't burn it) until the mixture thickens to a little smoother than alfredo generally is.  Add the crab meat and cook until heated through.  Keep stirring.

Put your drained pasta in a serving bowl, top with the sauce, garnish with Parmesan, parsley and pepper.  Serve immediately.

This serves around 4 people pretty comfortably and I thought it kinda needed some fresh baked bread, but I think that about almost everything.  Enjoy!