RECIPE

© Kirsten Strecker

Crab Salad with Avocado and Mango

• Recipe by Harold Dieterle

Harold Dieterle's cool and fruity crab salad is garnished with lacy fried eggs. He learned to prepare eggs this way by watching street cooks in Thailand.

Ingredients

1. 2 large eggs
2. Salt and freshly ground pepper
3. 1 shallot, minced
4. 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
5. 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
6. 2 teaspoons Asian fish sauce
7. 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil
8. 1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat
9. 1 large mango, finely diced
10. 1 Hass avocado, finely diced
11. 2 tablespoons snipped chives
12. Peppercress or watercress sprigs, for garnish

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, vigorously beat the eggs; season with salt and pepper. Strain the eggs and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. In a blender, combine the shallot, ginger, lime juice and fish sauce and puree. With the machine on, add 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the oil in a thin stream and blend until emulsified. Transfer the dressing to a medium bowl. Add the crab, mango, avocado and chives to the dressing and season with salt and pepper. Fold gently until the salad is mixed and evenly dressed. Refrigerate the salad.
3. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 1/2 cup of oil until shimmering. Using your fingertips, drizzle half of the beaten eggs into the hot oil in a lacy pattern; spoon some of the hot oil over the eggs so they puff and sizzle. Cook until set and golden, about 1 minute. Carefully transfer the lacy eggs to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining beaten eggs.
4. On a small plate, pack one-fourth of the crab salad into a 4-inch ring mold; lift off the ring. Repeat for the remaining 3 servings. Drape some of the lacy eggs over the crab and garnish with the peppercress.