Beginnings
Sometimes it is just too hot to consider turning on the stove, oven, or even grill. This recipe takes advantage of ingredients that are easy to keep in the pantry and may whip up at a moment's notice. Often overlooked are the delicious meal opportunities in cans, tins, and jars. Easy to source at a local supermarket, crab meat is one of them. The juicy, sweet taste of crab meat makes for an unexpected crab martini salad ideal for quick preparation and extraordinary entertaining. This tender, textured crustacean is easy to dress up and friendly with numerous other flavors. We've kept this relatively uncomplicated delicate meat shine and have tossed it with some light coconut milk, a bit of sriracha, a spritz of lime juice, a tablespoon of honey, and a few toasted coconut flakes. We dressed it up to serve for a bridal shower with fresh edible flowers and dainty silver plate seafood forks in each glass.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces lump crab meat, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 1/2 lime
- 1/4 cup coconut flakes
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- Edible flowers, (violas, geraniums petals, borage blossoms, etc.) optional garnish
Directions
- In a small bowl, mix the coconut milk, honey, and sriracha, and squeeze in the juice of the half-lime.
- Add the crab meat to the coconut milk mixture and toss gently. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Divide among two glasses and refrigerate until ready to eat.
- In a small pan, toast the coconut flakes until golden. Set aside to cool.
- Sprinkle the crab cocktail with the coconut flakes. Add the edible flower garnish. Serve immediately.
Kitchen Notes
Delicate and sweet, jumbo lump crab meat comes from the muscles of a crab's swimming fins and is the ideal size for crab cocktails. Unopened pasteurized crabmeat in the refrigerator keeps for six months.