Crab Avocado Salad with Tomato Vinaigrette
INGREDIENTS
Serves 4
2 large, ripe tomatoes for
About 1/2 cup olive oil
Sherry vinegar
3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1+ Tbsp Mayonnaise
1-2 ripe avocados
1 lb container of lump crab meat
Fresh basil for garnish.
Salt
A Simple Appetizer Sure To Impress
When you’re having friends over, sometimes you want to prepare a dish that looks fancy, but is actually quite easy to make. This crab-avocado salad fills that need. It is my go-to appetizer during the summer months.
If I’m cooking for a group of people, I can prep all of the elements ahead of time, keep them well chilled and serve this salad with ease. It’s the kind of dish you might order at a restaurant, but you don’t need chef-level skills to make.
It starts with high-quality, fresh lump crab meat, which you can find at most good markets (see photo). You want decent-size chunks of blue-crab meat, not shredded.
Buttery, ripe avocados are essential. I like to buy mine a day ahead of time to ensure their ripeness. When you hold the avocado in your hand, you want it to have a little bit of give but not too much.
The base of the dish is a bright, summery tomato vinaigrette–sounds sophisticated but all you need is a blender, some in-season tomatoes and a few pantry staples. You can make it ahead of time and keep it in your fridge. Just make sure to give it a stir before using.
The final touch, a stainless-steel ring mold—one of those simple tools that professional kitchens rely on, which can also be an affordable addition to your home kitchen.
The most important step in making this dish is that every element is well chilled. I chill the plates before I serve. I place and fill the mold with crab and avocado on a sheet tray and then place the tray in the fridge. I assemble the dish just as my guests sit down for dinner.
To accompany the salad, I love to open a magnum of Domaine Ott rosé. It’s not a must, but it is highly recommended. You’re guests won’t complain.
Instructions
Make the tomato vinaigrette. Core the tomatoes and cut into large chunks. Place in a blender, add the vinegar, start blending slowly, gradually increasing the speed while drizzling in the olive oil. When it’s fully pureed, season to taste with salt, pour into a container and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Empty the crab meat onto a tray and pick through, feeling for any cartilage or shells to discard. In a mixing bowl, season the crab with salt and pepper, and gently fold in the mayonnaise and mustard. You want to keep the chunks intact. Incorporate the minced chives.
Dice the avocado, add to a bowl and douse with a bit of lemon juice to prevent discoloring. Season with salt.
Place the ring molds on a sheet tray. Gently fill each ring with crab meat, about ⅔ full. Top with the avocado. Refrigerate.
To serve:
On chilled plates, pour the vinaigrette and carefully swirl to cover the plate. Using a small spatula, slide the molds onto the center of each plate. Top each salad with a chiffonade of fresh basil.
Bring to the table, impress your guests, and pour yourself a glass of rosé.
