Prized for its sweet, delicate flesh, Dungeness crab is a west coast specialty. It needs just a little dressing to make a terrific crab salad, allowing the wonderful flavor to shine through. Add tart-sweet ruby red grapefruit segments and you have a healthy, light first course or light meal that's perfect for the season.
Wanting a light dinner, I tossed some cooked and shelled Dungeness crab with a little mayonnaise, a little citrus juice, and seasoned with salt and pepper. That’s all. When the crab is this good, you don’t want to over-dress it and mask the sweet fresh flavor.
A note on the mayo – I use Vegenaise for it’s light, clean flavor. You can find it in the refrigerated section of better grocers.
How to Segment Grapefruit
Ruby Red grapefruit segments are a nice counterpart to the crab. They add their own tart-sweet flavor and beautiful deep pink color to the plate. The easiest way for most people is to simply cut the grapefruit in half and use a sharp paring knife to cut around each individual segment. Pop the semgents out and remove them fruit, reserve the juice.
Another way is called “to supreme” where you trim off the top and bottom of the citrus and sit it flat, then cut off all of the skin and white pith. Then with a sharp paring knife, cut each segment out over a bowl to catch the juices. Do what works best for you.
Ingredients
For the salad, you’ll need 4-5 ounces of cooked crab per person. If you make a smaller portion, this works as a nice first course. If you want to serve it as a light meal, use a little more crab. Add your greens, grapefruit and maybe a nice whole wheat roll or garlic toast and enjoy.
- 16-20 ounces cooked crab
- 2 ruby grapefruit (1 for segments, 1 for juice)
- Mayonnaise I use Vegenaise (or get Whole30 brand)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Champagne vinegar or white Balsamic vinegar
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Microgreens (or soft salad green to serve on top of a salad)
Buying Crab
There are several options for crab. Fresh cooked crab at the market seafood counter is the best, but it's pretty pricey these days. If it's not available or too expensive, use a good packaged pasteurized crab. Its good and much more affordable.
Buying already cooked and shelled crab is a lot easier and less messy than buying whole crabs. You may pay more for someone else doing the messy labor. Some markets will shell cooked crab for you. Ask at the seafood counter. Many markets ship Dungeness crab, like this counter at Pike Place Market in Seattle where we visited this year.
Serving Idea
If you can find Dungeness crab, this salad would be a delight to serve New Year’s Day with a glass of chilled, crisp Champagne or sparkling wine to celebrate the start of a New Year.
📖 Recipe
Dungeness Crab Salad with Ruby Grapefruit
Ingredients
- 1 ruby red grapefruit
- 16-20 ounces crab preferably Dungeness
- 4 tablespoons of mayonnaise I use Vegenaise
- 3 tablespoons grapefruit juice
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 teaspoons light flavored vinegar Champagne or white Balsamic
- Salt and pepper to taste
Optional Garnish
- Microgreens
Instructions
- Start by segmenting your grapefruit. The easiest way is to cut the grapefruit in half crosswise through the hemisphere. Then using a sharp paring knife, cut around each individual segment, freeing it from the half, reserving the juice. (see the photos in the post)
- Place the crab in a medium bowl. Pick through the crab and discard any small pieces of shell. Add the mayonnaise and grapefruit juice and toss gently. Season with salt and pepper. Plate in a ring mold (notes below) in the center of a salad plate or mound carefully. Add the grapefruit segments around the edge of the plate. Whisk together the oil and vinegar and drizzle a little around the plate. You can also use a little vinaigrette to dress the microgreens to top the crab.
Sheila Baicoianu says
Another way to serve this is to remove the segment dividers from the grapefruit shell. Mix the grapefruit segments in with the crab and mayo, and serve in the grapefruit shells.
Madonna says
Your food is always so beautiful.
Shut Up and Cook says
This looks absolutely spectacular...and I just happen to have two Grapefruit, so I know what I'm making some evening this week. Happy New Year to you!
Sally says
Thanks Erina! And you live in Dungeness crab heaven, lucky girl. Happy New Year!Hope we meet up at another conference this year!