Crab Louie

Recently I ordered two pounds of crab meat – no shells, just the meat. Then I got to plan what to do with it. First, I made potted crab, which was utterly delightful. Then, I came across a crab Louie recipe on Saveur, and decided to indulge myself. It’s been years since I’ve enjoyed a crab Louie.

The recipe is, not surprisingly, simple. It’s lettuce, crab, and a mayonnaise-based dressing. But I had to make a couple of changes – sweet pickle relish, for one thing. Disgusting. So I decided to substitute with cornichons, until I discovered I was out. So I used green olives as well as the black ones in the recipe.

Instead of Tabasco sauce, which I do enjoy, I used Truff. It’s an exceptional brand of truffle-infused sauces that my daughter turned me on to! It’s so flavorful and a bit spicy. I love it on eggs. I typically use the black lid variety.

I also included cherry tomatoes and hard-boiled eggs in the salad, cause I like them! This is my version of a crab Louie. I didn’t intend on “reinventing” the recipe, but I have to say that mine turned out great!

Crab Louie

1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons Truff
1 small white onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped black olives
2 tablespoons chopped green olives (I used Castelvetrano)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium head iceberg lettuce, shredded (about 8 cups)
4 cups cooked lump crabmeat, drained if thawed
Handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
Hard-boiled eggs, for serving

In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, ketchup, and Truff until smooth. Then stir in the onion and both varieties of olives. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, pour 1 cup of the dressing over the lettuce and toss to combine. (I only planned on two salads.) Divide the dressed lettuce between salad plates, then top each with the crabmeat.

Add some cherry tomatoes and at least one egg half per plate. (I added some olives as well.) Drizzle the crab with the remaining dressing.

Serve cold.

I have only recently discovered the following two ketchup varieties – sriracha and Tapatio. They’re both fantastic, and both would be good mixed with mayonnaise for a crab Louie.

Below is the original Saveur recipe for Crab Louie that is printable.

Saveur’s Crab Louie

1 cup mayonnaise
1⁄4 cup ketchup
1⁄4 cup sweet pickle relish
2 Tbsp. chopped black olives
1 small white onion, finely chopped (about ½ cup)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium head iceberg lettuce, shredded (about 8 cups)
Meat from 2 cooked 2-lb. Dungeness crabs (or substitute 4 cups cooked lump crabmeat)
Lemon wedges, for serving
Tabasco sauce, for serving (optional)

In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, olives, and onion. Season to taste with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, pour 1 cup of the dressing over the lettuce and toss to combine. Divide the dressed lettuce between 4 chilled salad plates, then top each with ¼ of the crabmeat. Drizzle the crab with the remaining dressing. Serve cold, with lemon wedges and Tabasco sauce, if desired.