Crab And Avocado Salad With Citrus

Crab and Avocado Salad With Citrus is a wonderful dish to serve as a light summer evening meal while sitting outside on your patio with a glass of chilled white wine. If you are entertaining, it makes an impressive first course served any time of the year. The sweet, delicate flavor of lump crab meat pairs perfectly with the rich, buttery taste of avocado. Each component of the salad is mixed with a slightly spicy citrus vinaigrette and topped with sections of orange. We all enjoy having quick and easy cooking ideas for summer meals. This delicious and colorful dish takes almost no time to prepare and is light, healthy and refreshing.

Crab And Avocado Salad With Citrus

This dish was inspired by an appetizer that I had during a vacation to Vero Beach, Florida, at the Citrus Grill. The appetizer salad was so good that I knew that it would be the inspiration for a meal at home so that I could remember the delightful sunny days at the beach in Florida. At the restaurant, the salad was made with grapefruit and topped with micro greens which I enjoyed. In my version, I decided to use blood oranges which I knew my husband would prefer in place of grapefruit but most citrus would be good.

Tropical Sun And Sand At Vero Beach, Florida

Crab And Avocado Salad With Citrus 

I suggest using 3 or 4 oz. of crab meat per person. Recipe serves 2. Adapt accordingly.

Spicy Citrus Vinaigrette

• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. fresh orange juice (I used the retained juices of the sectioned orange)
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp. honey
• 1 tsp. or to taste of sriracha or hot sauce of your choice
• 1/4 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

Place all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Makes approximately 1/3 cup.

Crab Layer

• 8 to 10 oz. container lump crab meat (pasteurized)
• 2 Tbsp. spicy citrus vinaigrette (see above)
• 1 Tbsp. mayonnaise

Whisk the vinaigrette and mayonnaise until smooth and then gently toss with the crabmeat (being careful not to break the lumps).

Avocado Layer

• 1 avocado
• 2 Tbsp. or to taste of spicy citrus vinaigrette (see above)
• salt and pepper to taste

Slice avocado in half, remove pit, peel and dice. Place in a bowl, mix in the vinaigrette, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust for seasoning. *Depending on the ripeness of the avocado, you may wish to add  some additional vinaigrette or lime juice to bring out its flavor. You may also wish to add a little extra hot sauce. Just remember you do not want to overpower the delicate flavor of the crabmeat.

Citrus Layer

• 1 or two oranges, depending on size

Peel the orange. Cut into segments over a bowl, cutting the flesh from each side of the membrane. Carefully remove any seeds that might be present and set the orange segments aside. Reserve the collected juice in the bowl for the vinaigrette (you will need at least one tablespoon).

To assemble, spoon a layer of avocado onto a plate (I used a ring mold for the plating but that is optional). Top with a layer of crabmeat retaining a couple of lumps for garnish, if desired, and then add a few segments of orange. Remove the mold, if using, garnish with a couple of crab lumps, drizzle with a little extra vinaigrette and serve.

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I served this crab and avocado salad with Tuscan rosemary crackers and a glass of crisp Pinot Grigio…a Sauvignon Blanc would be lovely as well. It can also be served with greens as a main course salad. Since crabmeat is expensive, other serving ideas might be layering smaller portions in a martini glass on top of shredded romaine lettuce as an appetizer or serving tiny portions in a china spoon for one bite tapas passed around at a cocktail party.

No matter how you choose to serve the crab and avocado salad with citrus, I think you will find it to be a wonderful flavor combination. Enjoy!