Summer Vegetable Cajun Spiced Crab Ravioli

I like to think of this dish as a farmers market veggie clean out. If you’re like me, you get super excited when you go to the farmers market and perhaps overdo it. If you’ve got a kitchen full of market fresh vegetables and no idea what to do with them, this is the recipe for you. All of those beautiful market finds get put together in a buttery pasta sauce, then it’s spiced with Cajun seasoning and used to coat some crab ravioli. If crab ravioli isn’t easy to find, use shrimp, lobster, or even spinach and ricotta for a vegetarian option. You can make this sauce even more indulgent with a splash of heavy cream, or leave it as is for a beautiful summer day meal.

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Sunmer Vegetable Cajun Spiced Crab Ravioli

Prep Time: 15minutes Cook Time: 60 minutes Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 package (400 g) crab ravioli (you can use shrimp or lobster as well) plus 3/4 cup reserved pasta water

• 1 tbs olive oil

• 2 long sweet red peppers, halved, seeds removed

• 1 small red onion or 1/2 a large red onion, cut into large chunks

• 1 head garlic, top cut off to expose cloves, plus 2 cloves, minced

• Salt and pepper

• 2 tbs water or basil infused olive oil

• 2 tbs butter, divided

• 1 zucchini, grated (yellow or green)

• 1/2 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen

• 2 tbs Cajun seasoning

• 1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)

• Parmesan cheese and arugula to serve

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or foil. Coat the red peppers and onion with 1/2 tbs olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper, being careful not to separate the onions too much - you want them in nice large chunks. If they get broken into smaller pieces, they may burn while roasting. Drizzle the remaining 1/2 tbs olive oil into the head of garlic, to coat the cloves, then sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Wrap the head of garlic in foil to completely cover it. Place the peppers, onion and garlic on the baking tray, ensuring they do not touch. If they touch, they will steam rather than roast in the oven. Bake for 25 minutes, then remove the peppers and onion from the tray and return the garlic in for an additional 15 minutes (40 mins total).

2. Once the vegetables are cool enough to handle, add them all to a mini food processor and start puréeing. Drizzle in 1-2 tbs of water or basil infused olive oil to help blend into a paste. Set aside until ready to use.

3. Begin to prepare the ravioli according to package directions. While the ravioli is boiling, heat a large pan over medium high heat, and add half of the butter. Once it's melted, add the zucchini. Sauté until all of the water has been cooked out, 6-8 minutes, then add the remaining butter, corn, and the additional 2 cloves of garlic. Sauté another 2-3 minutes, then add the Cajun seasoning. Stir well to coat all of the vegetables. If your Cajun seasoning doesn't have salt, add a pinch now.

4. Stir in the red pepper paste, and about 1/4 cup of pasta water to thin out the sauce slightly. Reduce the heat to low, and allow the sauce to simmer for 30 seconds before adding the cooked ravioli. Stir to coat the ravioli, then add the remaining pasta water, and the heavy cream if using. Stir again to mix the cream into the sauce, and simmer for another minute or two. Taste for salt and add more if needed. Serve immediately with Parmesan cheese on top, and arugula on the side.

NOTES

• You can use any ravioli, but seafood ravioli goes well with the Cajun seasoning.