Today I kept it light and simple with Martha’s version of a West coast classic, Crab Louis from page 359.
Crab Louis a/k/a Crab Louie a/k/a The King Of Salads is one of those great American salads that goes way back to the turn of the 20th century. Its origins are unknown, though various chefs named Louis have taken credit for it and some even think it was named after King Louis XIV. I guess its real origin will be one of those mysteries of the ages. This salad was very popular in the 1950s and it was considered a delicacy for the burgeoning middle class. Over the years it’s lost some of its popularity, but none of its flavor.
I made this the easy way by getting pre-shelled lump crab meat. There are few kitchen tasks more tedious than picking through crab shells in an attempt to get to the meat. I must also note that I’m very allergic to crustacean shells and they make me break out in horrible welts all over. Crab shells happen to be the worst for me to touch, the last time I did I looked a hot mess! However, I don’t have a reaction to the meat, which is good because a life without crabs, lobsters and shrimp would hardly be a life worth living! There are several different versions of the classic Crab Louis salad, some call for the addition of olives for example, but Martha’s recipe was simple and straight forward and let the crab be the star. I really loved the homemade dressing which is creamy, tart and spicy and goes just perfect on crab.
This was a nice cool salad for a hot summer evening. I hope Martha’s Crab Louis recipe helps this classic retro salad make the comeback it deserves!
