Labor on Labor Day: Crab Carbonara with Meyer Lemon, Parsley, and Black Pepper

Happy Belated Labor Day!  I hope you all enjoyed some well deserved time off yesterday with barbecues, beer, and good friends.

Mine started out with - labor!  Ironic for a day giving the workers a day off!  Especially annoying since my boss just sprung it on me on Friday.  That's what happens when you have a million motions due!

I already had plans for the afternoon, so I told him I'd see him bright and early on Monday morning.  And I did.  I worked my butt off until 2, doing all sorts of research.  Then skeddadled it home to grab the boys and head out again.

We headed out to the beach!  Meeting up with the Pirates, the Supers, and the Jurisslaves.

After loads of playing in the water, running in the sand, and throwing around the football, we packed up our kids and headed across the street for some burgers and beers.  Well, burgers and beers for the adults.  The little guys mostly had french fries for dinner. It's a holiday for them too, right?

Besides, Thatbaby was phenomenal with dinner the night before.  A dinner I was a little worried about.  Crab, eggs, and lemon juice don't always sound like they're going to combine well.  And as I cracked open the crab legs, Thatbaby remarked that crab was yucky.  And that he wanted "Pasta, no crab."

He warmed up a bit when the pancetta starting cooking.  He LOVES pancetta, fishing it out of the container to eat by the handful.  And when I finally set his pasta in front of him, he devoured it.  He tossed aside his fork and used his hands to scoop the pasta into his mouth.  Thatboy followed suit with the ravenous eating, but he used a fork.  So there's hope for Thatbaby yet!

Crab Carbonara with Meyer Lemon, Parsley, and Black Pepper (From The James Beard Foundation)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup diced pancetta
• 2 shallots, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 whole eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1 pinch Old Bay seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 pound lump crabmeat
• Zest of 3 Meyer lemons, 1 lemon reserved
• 1 pound fresh or 11 ounces dry spaghetti
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup toasted bread crumbs

1. Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat.  Add the pancetta and saute for 5 minutes.
2. Add the shallots and garlic and saute another 5 minutes.  Remove from heat.
3. Whisk together the eggs, parmesan, parsley, Old Bay, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
4. Add the shallots/garlic/pancetta and whisk.
5. Add the crabmeat, lemon zest, and the juice from one of the lemons and whisk.
6. Cook the pasta until al dente.  Drain and immediately add to the bowl with the other ingredients.
7. Add the butter and toss quickly, making sure all the strands are combined.
8. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and serve.