Cucumbers with Pickled Ginger and Crab
Pickled ginger imparts a crisp zing to this light and refreshing appetizer. Here, the cucumber slice is a base for the crab topping, but you can also put the cucumber on a cracker or baguette slice and then top with the crab.
Ingredients
- 6 cucumbers
- 2 1/2 Tbs. mayonnaise
- 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp. minced shallot
- 1 tsp. Thai chili paste
- 1 tsp. minced fresh chives
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 1/2 cups fresh-cooked lump crabmeat, picked over for
cartilage and shell fragments, chilled - 1 cup drained sliced pickled ginger
- Small fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs for garnish (optional)
Directions
Carefully cut the cucumbers into slices 1/4 inch thick. You should have about 48 slices.
In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise, olive oil, lemon juice, shallot, chili paste, chives and salt and mix well. Add the crabmeat and turn gently with a fork to mix well, being careful not to break up the crabmeat too much. Put a generous teaspoonful of the crab mixture on each cucumber round, top with a little of the pickled ginger and garnish with a parsley sprig.
Arrange on a platter, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 hours before serving. Serves 10 to 12.
Serving Tip: To make an easy-to-handle party appetizer, thread a bamboo skewer or cocktail pick through the cucumber and crabmeat.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Holiday Entertaining, by Georgeanne Brennan (Oxmoor House, 2007).