I've been longing to make Ina Garten's crab strudel recipe and even picked up a pound of fresh Dungeness lump crab meat, but the weather is not cooperating. It's been in the 90s for what seems like forever and too hot to turn on the oven. Since I have all this lovely crab, I decided to use it in a salad and it turned out great — cool and refreshing! If you haven't had much experience with fresh tarragon, this is a good recipe to try. It lends such a nice, subtle flavor to the crab mixture. When the weather finally cools down I'll make that strudel.
Recipe
1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over to remove any shells or cartilage
1 stalk celery, peeled, and cut into 1/8" dice
4 tsp. finely sliced fresh chives
1 tsp. minced fresh tarragon
1/3 c. mayonnaise
3 T. sour cream
Juice from half of a freshly squeezed lime
Zest from 1 lime
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Avocado, sliced (for garnish)
Mixed lettuce
Light vinaigrette
In a bowl lightly toss the crabmeat, celery, chives and tarragon together.
In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, lime zest, and mustard. Add to the crab mixture and stir until just coated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If not using right away, cover and keep in the refrigerator.
Serve on mixed lettuces with a simple vinaigrette of your choice. For a nicer presentation, pack the crab mixture in a round ring or container and invert onto the salad.