This dish is part crab cocktail and part bloody mary served over delicate French greens. This makes for a simple weekday lunch – or you can fancy things up by pairing it with an ice-cold vodka martini for a light and delicious dinner. My Bloody Mary Vinaigrette starts off as a sort of cocktail sauce that becomes vinaigrette with the addition of extra virgin olive oil, fresh fennel juice (you could substitute celery if you like) and lots of fresh lemon juice.
This salad is straightforward and fresh, not to mention good for you! Fennel juice is loaded with manganese (which is needed for your body to break down amino acids and produce energy) and zinc (which is critical to the function of more than 300 enzymes in your body). If you don’t have a juicer, don’t worry, you can cut your fennel bulb into large chunks and toss them into a blender or food processor. Simply strain the puree once you are done and voila! Fennel Juice.
To make this dish, simply add some mesclun (baby French greens) into a bowl, then top with 6 oz of freshly picked Dungeness Crab meat, bloody mary vinaigrette and a couple of fennel fronds. If you want to beef up the salad a bit, you can add extra toppings like shaved celery, sliced avocado and daikon radish sprouts.
Bloody Mary Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
- 2 lemons, juiced
- ½ cup chili sauce (I like Heinz the best)
- 2 T prepared horseradish
- 1 T Worcestershire sauce
- ½ t Tabasco or Crystal Hot Sauce
- ¼ cup fresh fennel juice
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh cracked pepper
- Kosher salt
Method:
- Mix all ingredients except olive oil in a small bowl until combined.
- Slowly whisk in the extra olive oil.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Chill until ready to use
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