Spicy crab spread on a toasted ciabatta bun.
This is a meal that can be served for lunch, dinner, or a romantic picnic.
It is served with cherry tomatoes, on top of a Romaine lettuce leaf, a small spring salad, and a glass of California Chardonnay. All the vegetables were grown by me or a local farmer. The crab was caught fresh this morning, the bread was bought at a local market that sells fresh breads, and the wine was a gift from my friend, from her trip to Napa Valley.
What you need:
- 1 cup of fresh pulled crab meat
- Mayo to taste (I use Best Foods made with Olive Oil http://tinyurl.com/d96296k)
- A half of an white onion (you could also use a red onion to add color)
- A tbsp of Secret Aardvark Habanero Hot Sauce
- a clove of garlic
- salt and pepper to taste
- Juice from a lemon
- Use your imagination and add what you feel might make it pop!
Add all the ingredients into a glass bowl and use a wooden spoon to mix them. It should look similar to tuna salad when it’s done. Once it’s finished, cover the dish and put in in the refrigerator for an hour.
While he crab spread is cooling, take the time to cut all your cherry tomatoes into halves or quarters. I used a combination of both, just for texture. The quarters are used for the spread and the halves were used for the spring salad. I chose a spring salad because of it’s a little lighter, and a had the colors I wanted to fit my mood. Any time I select a salad of any type for a meal I ask three questions:
- What are we eating
- What am I in the mood for
- and Am I feeling adventurous
I also don’t like to serve it ice cold. I actually like to take it and sit in on the counter for a half hour or so just to warm it up some. This isn’t always the case, but very often true. I dressed it with a mixture of Balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.
Once you have your vegetables prepared, it’s time to get the bread ready.
Cut the ciabatta bread into bun sized portions. Broil them (at about 350 degrees) until the top is toasted. By the time this is finished it’s ready to put it all together.
Take a Romaine lettuce leaf and cut it into sections about the size of your ciabatta toast. Place it on top of your toast, and then use your wooden spoon to scoop the crab spread on top. Garnish it with your cherry tomato quarters. I also like to add chopped green onions, but they aren’t pictured. Garnish with your salad. (per-mixed with the tomato halves and dressing)
The wine is the final addition. As mentioned about we served it with a glass of California Chardonnay. Again, select a wine you like. It’s important that you find something you like. Be adventurous. Maybe a light red like Gamay or Pinot Noir. It could even be served with sparkling wine/champagne.
Whatever you drink and how ever you cook, be adventurous. Be creative. Eating is only half the fun for me.
