Last weekend Lisa and I were on the way to one of our usual dinner spots, when we decided mid-drive to try something new.  We ended up at Cafe Gaudi, a little Spanish restaurant featuring tapas and a few different varieties of paella.  One of the specials that night was a crab salad with apples, hearts of palm, and a light miso vinaigrette dressing.  We were really enamoured of the dish, and attempted to recreate a version at home.

Lisa says:

Yum, it’s good!

Chris says:

I really like the apples in it.

Lisa says:

How close do you think it is?

Chris says:

Hmm… if anything, I think we have a lot more crab than how it was served at the restaurant.

Lisa says:

That’s the first thing I thought when I saw it — not that I’m complaining; I love crab!

Chris says:

We’ll have to refine this further, but you’re right: nothing to complain about here!

Crab, Apple, and Hearts of Palm Salad
1/2 lb lump crab meat, finely chopped
1 gala apple, peeled, cored, and diced
hearts of palm, diced (equivalent amount to the apple — we used about 1/3 can)
1 tbsp parsley, minced
8 paper-thin slices of red bell pepper
1/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped
2-3 tbsp miso vinaigrette (I just whisked together some miso paste and rice wine vinegar)

Combine all ingredients, enjoy!

2 Servings

Lisa made this chowder found in the Weight Watchers Great Cooking Everyday book. This thick soup has a mushroom and chicken broth base, and is topped with lump crab meat.

Chris says:

This smelled great when you were cooking it!

Lisa says:

Sometimes I hate those WW recipes; that bowl pictured is two servings.

Chris says:

Maybe it’s meant to be a side dish or starter. It’s good though.

Lisa says:

It is, but I don’t think I like the arrowroot; it makes it jiggle. Like jelly.

Chris says:

Like my belly?

Lisa says:

Sigh…

Chris says:

I’m feeling fat… and sassy.

Crab and Wild Mushroom Chowder
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1/2 lb shiitake mushrooms
1 tbsp + 2 tsp arrowroot
2 cups chicken broth
1 tsp butter
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
3 tbsp finely chopped celery
1 garlic clove, minced
1 potato, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup evaporated fat-free milk
1 1/2 tsp dry sherry
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/3 cup water
1/4 lb cooked lump crab meat, picked over

Remove the stems from the mushrooms and chop. Thinly slice the mushroom caps. Reserve in separate piles. Combine the arrowroot and 2tbsp of the broth in a small bowl.
Melt the butter in a saucepan, then add the onion, celery, and garlic. Sauté until tender. Add the remaining broth to the vegetables; bring to a simmer. Add the potato and simmer, covered, until tender, 15-20 minutes. Whisk the arrowroot mixture and stir into the broth. Simmer until the mixture thickens, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in the milk, sherry, salt, and pepper.
Meanwhile, bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the reserved mushroom stems; reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain the liquid into a medium skillet, discarding the stems. Bring to a simmer and add the reserved sliced mushrooms, cooking until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir the mushrooms and their broth into the soup. Serve, topped with the crabmeat.

Serves 4 as a starter

Lisa was at the helm tonight and whipped up these delicious crab cakes using a recipe found in Cooking Light. They turned out perfectly: crispy on the outside, hot and steamy on the inside — I loved all the minced green onions in there. We served the crab cakes along with some heirloom tomatoes, pictured, and a mushroom couscous.

Maryland Crab Cakes
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1 pound lump crabmeat, shell pieces removed
1 1/3 cups fresh breadcrumbs
1/3 cup minced green onions
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon 2% low-fat milk
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 egg whites
1 1/3 cups fresh breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
Lemon wedges (optional)

Combine first 10 ingredients in a bowl; stir well. Divide crabmeat mixture into 8 equal portions. Place 1 1/3 cups breadcrumbs in a shallow dish. Dredge crabmeat portions in breadcrumbs, shaping into patties about 3 1/2 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick.
Heat 1 tablespooon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 patties, and cook 3 minutes. Carefully turn patties over, and cook 3 minutes or until golden. Repeat procedure with the remaining oil and patties. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

8 Servings

We adapted this recipe from the “Bourbon Street Jambalaya” in Great Bowls of Fire — the version in that book uses clams (Lisa’s not a huge fan) instead of crab. Also, I had forgotten how much I enjoy fresh-outta-the-oven cornbread muffins!