Chef Veera

Herbs Galore!

A lively, herby oil drizzled over a protein packed crab and white bean salad is the perfect end of summer salad. Serve it over toast points or crackers for an elegant yet portable appetizer.

The secret to this no-mayonnaise crab salad is the plethora of fresh herbs that each lend layers of fresh summery flavor to this simple dish. I love to blanch the herbs for the oil to help them retain their bright green color. This is a typical chef trick!

BE BRAVE and substitute the crab with any other seafood of choice such as a combination of cooked shrimp and bay scallops or even some flaked white fish, but don’t skimp on the herbs!

Don’t let the herbaceous flavors of summer pass you by – make this easy, healthy salad for a light lunch, a brunch item or an elegant appetizer.

Crab and White Bean Salad with Herby Dressing

Ingredients

(* indicates my preferred ingredients – see notes for alternatives)

1 lb lump crabmeat

¼ cup lightly packed mint leaves (plus more for garnish)

¼ cup lightly packed basil leaves (plus more for garnish)

2 tablespoons roughly chopped tarragon

¾ cup O&V Basil EVOO *

1 can (15 oz) Great Northern beans or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1 teaspoon minced lemon thyme (plus more for garnish)

1 teaspoon minced marjoram

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (plus more for garnish)

2 – 3 tablespoons minced red onion (See Chef Note)

2 tablespoons O&V Lemon Vinegar *

Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Preparation

Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil. Separately fill a bowl with ice water

Place the mint, basil and tarragon in a sieve, and plunge into the boiling water stirring and pushing the herbs under the water for 20 seconds. Remove and plunge into the bowl of ice water for 1 ½ minutes, Drain, squeeze dry and transfer to a blender. Puree with the ¾ cup of oil and season with salt.

In a bowl, toss the beans with the red onion, lemon zest, minced thyme and marjoram and the Lemon vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Gently fold in the crab, generously drizzle with the herby oil and serve with a garnish of fresh herbs and lemon zest.

Serves 4-6

Total time: 20 minutes

Chef Note

To tame the bite of red onions, you can mince, and soak in cold water for 15 minutes. Then drain, pat dry and add to the salad for the crunch and a milder flavor.

Notes

* The Basil EVOO adds another layer of amazing herby flavor and the Lemon Vinegar adds a subtle sweet and tangy taste that pairs exquisitely with the seafood. You can use a high-quality unflavored EVOO and add more herbs as well as a Champagne or White Balsamic but remember that especially in simple dishes like this, the quality of the ingredients makes all the difference.

The highlighted products are available at Oil & Vinegar stores.

Categories: Entrée, Appetizer, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Breakfast & Brunch, Crab Salad, White Beans, Cannellini Beans, Easy Entertaining, Mint, Tarragon, Thyme, Basil EVOO, Lemon Vinegar, Marc de Champagne Vinegar, Picnic, Toast Points, Crostini, Herbs, Seafood Salad, Seafood