Author Notes
I saw a picture of a restaurant salad that inspired me. It was on a website not associated with any restaurant, but it looked so delicious that I had to figure out how to recreate it...LOL! This salad is absolutely perfect for summer (especially if you happen to live in Dallas with nearly 25 days of 100+ temperatures) because it so cool, and the flavors are so vibrant. If you wish, use a small sharp paring knife to scrape ribs and seeds from peppers after cutting tops off and before thinly slicing them. Feel free to substite 1/4 cup of roughly chopped fresh mint for part of the arugula and/or use micro greens in place of the arugula. Enjoy! —gr8chefmb
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Ingredients
- CRAB SALAD
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3 cups
cooked lump crab meat
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4
green onions, thinly sliced
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2 tablespoons
fresh lemon juice
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2/3 cup
Greek yogurt
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1 teaspoon
coarse ground salt
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1 teaspoon
coarse ground pepper
- PICKLED PEPPER VINAIGRETTE
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2 cups
fresh watermelon juice *[see note below]
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1/2 cup
white wine vinegar
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1/4 cup
granulated sugar
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2
fresh jalapenos, thinly sliced crosswise [use a mandolin if you have one]
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1/4 cup
extra virgin olive oil
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2 tablespoons
honey
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1 tablespoon
Dijon mustard
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1 teaspoon
coarse ground salt
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1 teaspoon
coarse ground pepper
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6 cups
mixed melon balls [cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon]
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6
red radishes, thinly sliced [use a mandolin if you have one]
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1-1/2 cups
baby arugula, roughly torn
Directions
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In a medium mixing bowl, mix together crab, green onions, lemon juice, yogurt, salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.
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Place 1 cup of watermelon juice, 1/4 cup vinegar and sugar in a 2-quart saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add jalapeno and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer for 5 minutes. Drain peppers, reserving cooking liquid, and cool to room temperature.
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Whisk together cooled pepper cooking liquid, remaining watermelon juice, olive oil, honey, mustard, salt and pepper until well mixed. Stir in pickled jalapeno.
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For each serving, mound 1/2 cup of crab salad in the center of a shallow bowl. Place 1 cup of melon balls around crab salad. Sprinkle 1 thinly sliced radish over plate, and top with 1/4 cup baby arugula. Drizzle enough vinaigrette over plate to pool slightly around salad. Serve immediately.
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* NOTE: If you do not have a juicer, use a wooden spoon or metal ladle to press cut watermelon pieces through a fine mesh strainer into a measuring cup or bowl to catch juice. Discard solids.
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