Lidia Bastianich's King Crab Salad with Citrus Fruit

King Crab Salad with Citrus Fruit
by Lidia Bastianich
from Lidia's Italian Table
(William Morrow, 1999)
Makes 6 first-course servings

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Traditionally the spiny crab found in the Adriatic is used to make this salad, but king crab is readily available here and makes a delicious substitute. About one pound of the meat from Dungeness or blue claw crabs is also a good substitute but requires some work freeing it from the shell. The fresh lump or jumbo lump crabmeat sold in containers by your fishmonger is the easiest alternative, but also the most expensive.

These quantities are for appetizer servings; double them for main-course servings


convert		Ingredients
1 small		onion, cut into quarters
2 stalks		celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 medium-size		carrots, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
2		fresh or dried bay leaves
2 pounds		king crab legs (2 to 3 whole legs), defrosted if frozen
1/4 cup		extra virgin-olive oil
3 tablespoons		fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons		fresh orange juice
pinch		salt
2 tablespoons		chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
6 ounces		young salad leaves, such as baby arugula or tender baby lettuces, or mesclun greens, washed and dried
12		grapefruit segments without membranes (see NOTE)
12		blood orange or navel orange segments without membranes (see NOTE)
		Freshly ground black pepper

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Method

1. Choose a pot large enough to hold the crab legs comfortably and fill it to about 3 inches from the top with water. Bring to a boil, add the onion, celery, carrots, and bay leaves, and boil for 15 minutes. Add the crab legs and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the crab and let cool. Discard the cooking liquid.

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, lemon and orange juices, and salt together until the dressing is golden yellow and emulsified. Whisk in the parsley.

3. With sturdy kitchen scissors, cut apart the crab legs between their joints and pull out the meat with a cocktail fork or skewer. Cut each leg segment open with the kitchen shears if you have difficulty removing the meat from the shell. Cut the crabmeat into 2-inch pieces, removing any cartilage as you go. Divide the crabmeat evenly and place in small mounds in the center of six salad plates. Place a cluster of salad leaves next to each. Arrange the grapefruit and orange segments decoratively around the crabmeat. Grind some fresh pepper and drizzle the citrus dressing over the crabmeat and salad leaves and serve.

NOTE: To remove grapefruit and orange segments from the fruit, cut away all the peel and white pith with a small sharp knife. Hold the fruit over a bowl and, with the knife, cut along each membrane to free the citrus segments, allowing the juice to drip into the bowl. Reserve some of the orange juice for the dressing, and the rest as a reward for the cook

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