Food Recipes Salads Main Dish Salads For a Wow-Worthy Winter Salad, Just Add Crab 5.0 (2) 2 Reviews A flavorful and gorgeous special occasion dish that’s as tasty as it is eye-catching, this crab salad is a showstopper — perfect for a dinner party. By Ali Ramee Ali Ramee Ali Ramee is a recipe developer and food stylist for Dotdash Meredith. A College of Charleston graduate with a communications major, Ali began her culinary career in the kitchens of chef Hugh Acheson in her hometown of Savannah, Georgia. After an internship with America's Test Kitchen in Boston, Ali moved to San Francisco to continue her culinary education in some of the top tier restaurants in the city, like Flour & Water and Petit Crenn. Ali began working as a food stylist and recipe developer for the meal kit company Sun Basket before making the move to Dotdash Meredith Food Studios. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on December 18, 2023 Tested by Tricia Manzanero Stuedeman Tested by Tricia Manzanero Stuedeman Tricia is a recipe developer and tester for Dotdash Meredith with a focus on baking and pastry as well as a passion for all things food-related. She has developed over 1,200 recipes, which have appeared both in magazines, online, and in cookbooks alike. She is a former Baking and Pastry Editor with experience in food styling, video production, and crafting culinary curriculum for more than a dozen culinary and lifestyle brands. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Save Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Active Time: 45 mins Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Yield: 12 servings Jump to recipe This abundant winter salad with crisp greens, winter fruits, crunchy croutons, and fresh crabmeat is as delicious as it is beautiful. A savory, garlicky, and almost Caesar-like dressing (thanks to the inclusion of anchovy fillets) hugs a mix of tender, slightly bitter salad greens, delicately spicy raw red onion, fresh herbs, and sweet crabmeat. The sourdough croutons are crisp, yet soak up the oil and dressing in the most delectable way. Frequently asked questions When is Dungeness crab in season? Dungeness crabs are found off the coast of Northern California, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska, with the San Francisco Bay Area being a singular hotbed for Dungeness lovers, writes F&W assistant food editor Andee Gosnell. Historically, Dungeness crab season in the Bay Area started at the beginning of November and lasted through June. These days, environmental stressors have led to a delayed start and early end to the season. If you can’t find Dungeness crab, substitute lump crabmeat. The Complete Guide to Dungeness Crab Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen “Soaking red onion in water helps temper some of the bite and strength of the raw onion flavor,” writes F&W recipe developer Ali Ramee. She suggests using any extra crab to make crab stir fried rice, crab dip, or crab cakes. While you can always steam and break down your own Dungeness crab to get crabmeat, freshly picked crabmeat from the store works perfectly well here and makes for a simplified salad-making process. Find freshly picked Dungeness crabmeat at most seafood markets or online at fathomseafood.com. Make ahead The croutons can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored at room temperature. The vinaigrette can be made up to 1 day in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Suggested pairing Our wine editor recommends a lime-zesty dry Riesling to go with this salad, such as Best’s Great Western. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 14 ounces sourdough boule, cut into 1-inch cubes 1 cup plus 5 tablespoons canola oil, divided 4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more for garnish 1/3 cup orange juice 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 6 anchovy fillets, mashed into a paste 3 large garlic cloves, grated 1 cup thinly sliced red onion 5 cups mizuna or arugula 4 cups cored and roughly chopped red and white Belgian endive (from 6 small heads) 1 Bosc pear, cored and thinly sliced 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus whole leaves for garnish 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives 1 1/2 pounds picked Dungeness crabmeat or lump crabmeat Directions Preheat oven to 350°F. Toss together bread cubes, 3 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper on a large rimmed baking sheet until coated. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown and crispy, 20 to 25 minutes, stirring halfway through baking time. Let bread cool completely on baking sheet on a wire rack, about 35 minutes. Whisk together orange juice, white wine vinegar, mustard, anchovies, garlic, and remaining 1 tablespoon kosher salt in a medium bowl until combined. Whisk in remaining 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons oil; set vinaigrette aside. Add croutons, onion, mizuna, endive, pear, 1/4 cup chopped parsley, and chives to a large bowl; toss to combine. Add about 1/3 cup vinaigrette, and stir to combine. Fold in crabmeat; transfer salad to a platter. Garnish with additional black pepper and whole parsley leaves. Serve with remaining vinaigrette. Originally appeared in Food & Wine magazine, December 2023 / January 2024 Rate It Print