Curried Crab Salad with Mango-Mojo Sauce

Lime juice, garlic, oregano and cumin are some of the seasonings often found in the archetypal Cuban spiced vinaigrette known as mojo. Those same flavors, combined with a puree of sweet and aromatic fresh mango, give this sophisticated seafood salad a refreshing kick.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. asparagus, tough ends removed
  • 1 mango, peeled, pitted and sliced
  • 1 Tbs. fresh lime juice
  • 1 small garlic clove, chopped
  • 3/4 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1/4 cup water, if needed
  • 1/2 lb. fresh-cooked crabmeat, broken into
      pieces and picked over to remove any
      shell fragments
  • 1 cup peeled, seeded and chopped cucumber
  • 1/3 cup fat-free mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup snipped fresh chives, plus more for
      garnish (optional)
  • 1 1/2 tsp. curry powder
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

Bring a saucepan three-fourths full of water to a boil over high heat. Add the asparagus and boil for 3 minutes. Drain and immerse in cold water to stop the cooking. Drain again. Cut all but 8 of the asparagus on the diagonal into 3/4¿inch lengths. Set aside.

In a blender, combine the mango, lime juice, garlic and cumin and blend until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, thin to a sauce consistency with the water. Set the sauce aside.

In a bowl, combine the cut asparagus, crabmeat, cucumber, mayonnaise, the 1/4 cup chives and curry powder. Mix well and season with salt and pepper.

Arrange the crab salad on a plate. Garnish with the reserved asparagus spears and a sprinkling of chives. Pass the sauce at the table.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Lifestyles Series, Fresh & Light, by Lane Crowther (Time-Life Books, 1998).