Portuguese Crab Salad

This is a Portuguese crab salad recipe that resembles a classic tunafish salad, but is kicked up several notches. The keys to the dish are excellent crab -- preferably Dungeness or blue crab -- and quality mayonnaise; make your own if you want to get fancy (recipe is below). This crab salad works great as a light lunch or as an appetizer. The recipe below serves 4-6.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 lb crab meat
• 2-3 chopped, hard-boiled eggs
• 1 T small capers
• 1 finely chopped shallot
• 1 T finely chopped parsley
• 1/2 t. cayenne
• 1/4 cup cream
• 2 T Port wine
• 1 T good-quality mustard
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• Kosher salt
• Ground pepper

Preparation:

Mix the crab, eggs, shallot, capers and parsley in a bowl, toss to combine and add a little salt.

In another bowl add the mayonnaise, cream, mustard, Port wine, cayenne and black pepper. Mix well.

Pour the liquid into the bowl with the crab and mix gently to combine. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or better yet overnight.

To serve, spoon into cleaned crab shells if you have them, or simply small bowls or a plate. Maybe lay down some lettuce first, but it's not necessary. Grind a little more black pepper on top and a little finely chopped parsley before serving.