Crab and Fuji Apple Salad with Thai Dressing + Winners of Cookbook

I scootched over to my friend, Sue Ann’s blog, noticed that she had a badge on her site, proudly proclaiming that her blog’s reading level is College Post-Grad level. Curious, I went to see what reading level Steamy Kitchen is, because I am a supporter of education and higher learning.

Crap. Must be because I used the words “HAIRY TWAT” once in a post.

Note: Up until about 4 minutes ago, my blog was at ELEMENTARY SCHOOL level. I added the words, “BUTT-HEAD” to this post and was immediately raised to JUNIOR HIGH level! WOOHOO!!!

I want to hear what your blog’s reading level is!

The great thing about cookbooks is that you can thumb through the pages and mix ‘n match recipes. This Crab and Apple Salad with Thai Dressing is a combination of 2 different recipes in my friend Jennifer’s new Crab cookbook. The crisp, sweet Fuji apples (or you could substitute with Granny Smith) and crab meat are perfect with an Asian-inspired dressing with a bit of sliced hot chilies from my garden. This has become one of my favorite salads – so easy to prepare and very impressive for the table.

This is a packed little cookbook – featuring how to buy, cook and crack crabs. Here is a recipe list:

Soups: Crab Gazpacho, Cioppino, Crab Chowder, Crab Bisque, Hot and Sour Crab Soup

Salads: Crab Louis, Foggy Wharf Salad, Crab & Fuji Apple Salad, Thai-Style Soft Shell Crab Salad, Octopus, Crab & Baby Red Potato Salad

Small Plates: Spicy Crab Shooters, Crab Pizza, Crab Rockefeller, Chile-Glazed Crab Lollipops, Smoked Salmon, Crab & Avocado Bruschetta, Crab Brandade, Fisherman’s Wharf Crab Cakes, Sizzling Crab, Mussels & Shrimp, Crab-Mango Wontons, Crab-Corn Souffle, Crab Beignets,

Large Plates: Crab & Cheedar Frittat, Crab Benedict, Open-Faced Crab Melt, Crab Pasta Carbonara, Crab Fettuccine All’Amatriciana, Pappardelle Al Sugo De Cranchio, Crab Butternut Squash & Asiago Risotto, Crab Quesadillas, Garlic Roasted Dungeness Killer Crab, SF Style Surf n Turf, Drunken Crab on Seaweed Noodles

Crab and Fuji Apple Salad with Thai Dressing

adapted from Crab cookbook by Jennifer Jeffrey and Andrea Froncillo

serves 4-6 as first course

8 ounces fresh crabmeat (I used snow crab)
1 large Fuji apple, cored, julienned and tossed with a squeeze of fresh lime juice
4-6 cups mixed baby greens
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tbl julienned fresh mint

Thai-Style Salad Dressing
3 tbl rice vinegar
2 tbl fish sauce
1 tbl sugar
1/4 tsp finely minced chili (leave seeds in if you like it hot)
juice of 1/2 lime

Prepare the dressing by combining ingredients and whisking. In a small bowl, combine crabmeat and apple and toss lightly with just a sprinkle of sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Assemble plates by layering baby greens, a mound of crab/apple mixture. Top with fresh mint and freshly ground black pepper. Use a teaspoon to drizzle salad dressing onto the salad. Be careful not to use too much – you should have some dressing left over.

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The Winners!

Okay! Ready? Here are the 5 winners of the Crab Cookbook contest!!  Each of you will get a signed copy of Andrea Froncillo (Executive Chef of the famous Stinking Rose restaurants) and Jennifer Jeffrey. Email me at jaden (at) steamykitchen (dot) com with your full name, address and who you’d like the cookbook dedicated to.

Winner #1 is: Rich G of SimpleRich who has brain pan issues (what IS a brain pan???)

My favorite way to have crab is in my Mom’s Gumbo. She uses what she calls the crab fingers. I’ve never seen them in a store that way. It looks like the end of the claw though, and the pincer is ready to puncture your brain pan if you’re not careful while eating it. But the shell and all goes in the gumbo and it gives it a really great flavor.

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Winner #2 is: Ulterior Epicure who has a simple dip for steamed crabs that I’d love to use for steamed shrimp too

This is a no-brainer: steamed crabs, cracked and dipped in a mix of soy sauce, white vinegar, sugar, garlic, and ginger.

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Winner #3 is: Single Guy Chef with words of encouragement for my HTML skills

Sorry to hear about the computer problems. That’s never fun. At least you can drown your sorrows with that great shrimp dish (but hey, they’re big enough to call prawns). Hope to see the new site soon! Don’t give up!

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Winner #4 is: Lane who kissed my ass to win (just kidding!)

Crab!
A-way up here in Oregon we go for the big sweet Dungeness Crabs.
My favorite way of cooking them is to take the cooked crab, break up the shell into legs, body and claws and saute all the parts together with butter, Old Bay seasoning and a bit of pepper. We all sit at the table and make a big ol’ mess sucking crab from the shells. Yum.

Jaden, I’ve loved seeing your blog grow over the past months. It’s great to read an authentic voice talking about great food. Hope to see you over in this corner of the world one of these days.

Best,
Lane