Crab Cobb Salad with Caramelized Pecans |
|
 |
Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 25 Minutes |
Ready In: 40 Minutes Servings: 6 |
|
Unlike the one-person Cobb salads at restaurants, here everyone serves him/herself from one big beautiful bowl (though you can of course arrange individual salads, if you prefer). The crab, bacon and avocado make a fantastic combination, the carrots are a colorful, light alternative to shredded cheese, and the caramelized pecans are to-die-for, especially with the blue cheese. YUM! Serves 4 as main dish, 6 as side salad. Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups pecan halves |
1/4 cup white sugar |
salt, to taste |
1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste |
1 teaspoon garlic powder |
1 bag pre-washed salad greens (i used half a bag of romaine and half a bag of “spring greens”) |
salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste |
8 slices hickory smoked bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled |
1 1/2 cups diced seeded fresh tomatoes |
1 cup grated carrot |
2 large avocados, peeled,pitted and diced |
3/4 lemon, juice of, divided |
garlic salt, to taste |
1 1/2 cups lump crabmeat or 1 1/2 cups imitation crabmeat (or a combination) |
2 -3 ounces crumbled gorgonzola or 2 -3 ounces blue cheese |
ranch dressing |
Directions:
1. Make caramelized pecans (see directions below), cook bacon and drain and crumble, and prepare vegetables.
2. Squeeze juice of half a lemon onto avocado pieces, sprinkle them with garlic salt, and stir gently to coat.
3. Squeeze remaining lemon juice onto crab.
4. Place salad greens in a large bowl.
5. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss gently.
6. Arrange toppings in triangle or pie-wedge shaped areas on top of salad in the following order clockwise: crab (at 12 oclock), avocado, bacon, carrot, gorgonzola, pecans (1 to 1 1/2 cup), tomato.
7. Serve from the middle outward, grabbing lettuce from underneath and taking bits from the various toppings.
8. Pass ranch dressing.
9. Enjoy!
10. Caramelized Pecans: Place pecans and sugar in large metal skillet.
11. Sprinkle with salt, cayenne and garlic powder.
12. Cook on medium-low, stirring constantly, until sugar begins to melt and stick to the bottom of the pan, about 4-6 minutes.
13. Continue stirring one minute, then lower heat to low and continue stirring constantly until sugar liquefies and the pecans are fully coated, about 3-5 more minutes.
14. Remove immediately from heat and spread to cool on foil sprayed with cooking spray.
15. When cool, separate gently.
16. Note: This makes a bit more than youll need for the salad to provide for the munch factor!
|
|