Wash and drain the asparagus, snapping off the woody ends, if using.

Cut each spear of asparagus in two or three pieces, depending on how long they are.

Cook the linguine in boiling salted water according to package directions.

Add the asparagus or frozen peas 3 minutes before the end of the cooking time.

Meanwhile heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.

Sauté the diced red pepper for two or three minutes until it begins to soften.

Add the garlic and continue to sauté for a minute, stirring almost constantly.

Pour the lemon juice over and toss in the lemon rind.

Stir and cook for a moment or two.

Add the crab meat, scallions and remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, along with a twist or two of freshly ground pepper.

Remove a couple of ladles of pasta water from the pasta pan and set aside.

Drain the pasta and asparagus and return it to the saucepan.

Stir in half of the crab 'sauce' (it's easiest to use two forks and kind of 'toss' it in), adding a bit of the pasta water to help make the 'sauce' mix in more easily.

Divide the mixture between two or three warmed bowls or plates, topping each serving with a portion of the remaining crab sauce.