Brown butter crab spaghetti

Summer staycation cooking

Cooking in an Airbnb can be as joyful as it is frustrating. On the one hand you’re (hopefully) in relaxed holiday mode and you’ve got a glass of wine in hand. On the other, the knives are always crap, the kitchen unfamiliar, and the larder lacking.

When visiting the Norfolk coast this week, while I battled with the electric hob (either screamingly hot or, well, not) and the limited pantry, we still managed some half-decent dinners. If you’re heading off in search of that elusive British sunshine on a self-catering break this summer, I’ve shared some thoughts on staycation cooking. Plus a holiday-friendly recipe using the plentiful local crab.

A momentary burst of British sunshine in Cromer this week

Staycation cooking tips

• Pack a few basics – a decent knife, decanted vinegar, olive oil and flaky salt – but don’t pack your whole larder.

• With the spice rack most likely out of action, this isn’t the time to experiment with global cuisines – stick to a ‘genre’ so you can utilise the same ingredients. For example, maybe all your meals will have a Mediterranean slant, so you can utilise things like parmesan, lemons, parsley and chillies in a few different dishes.

• Stock up on basics like fruit and veg, then seek out the local deli or fishmonger for some fancy additions that will make your dishes sing. Choose ingredients that will be versatile – we found some porcini and truffle paste that worked in a mushroom risotto plus alongside scrambled eggs for breakfast, while local crab was great in pasta and an omelette. Jars of pesto and harissa are handy flavour bombs, too.

• Keep it simple with dishes like pasta, risotto and salads that come together in one pot – this is a holiday, not Masterchef.

Brown butter crab spaghetti

This dish comes together in the time it takes to boil the pasta – ideal holiday fare.

White crab, nutty brown butter, chilli, lemon and parsley. It doesn’t get better.

Serves 2

• 250g spaghetti

• 75g butter

• 1 red chilli, finely chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• Zest of 1 lemon

• A handful of flat-leaf parsley, stalks removed, finely chopped

• 150g white crab meat

1. Boil the spaghetti in a pan of generously salted water.

2. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat, swirling now and again, until it goes brown and nutty. When the pasta is almost ready, add the chilli, garlic and lemon zest to the pan and sizzle for a couple of minutes. Remove from the heat

3. Drain the pasta, reserving a cupful of the cooking water. Add to the pan with the butter, adding the parsley and crab. Toss, adding a splash of cooking water, until glossy. Serve straight away with lots of black pepper.

Switch it up

• Skip the crab and serve with grated parmesan or veggie alternative for a fish-free version.

• Add cooked prawns instead of the crab.

Use it up

• Blitz leftover parsley with lemon juice and capers. Serve spooned over fish or soft-boiled eggs.

PS This week I’m loving…

Heading away to the seaside before summer’s out? Here are a few of my favourite spots we discovered this week in Cromer, Norfolk.

• No 1 Cromer for best fish and chips and a killer prawn cocktail.

• Sundown is a pretty spot for pizzas and small plates made with locally sourced ingredients in a fairylit outdoor tipi.

• The Gangway make excellent cocktails – try the negroni sbagliato.

• Fig and Olive is stocked with treats to take back to your Airbnb.

• Pick up fresh, great value seafood at Davies Fish Shop.