Radishes, avocado and cucumber also star in this light, summery salad
Diana Henry
The Telegraph's award-winning cookery writer
Diana Henry is the Telegraph’s much-loved cookery writer. She shares recipes each week, for everything from speedy family dinners to special menus that friends will remember for months. She is also a regular broadcaster on BBC Radio 4, and her journalism and recipe books, including Simple and How to Eat a Peach, are multi-award-winning. A mother of two sons, Diana can satisfy even the fussiest of eaters.
Published
I rarely use tarragon except with veal and chicken (and in Béarnaise sauce), and I’d never actually paired it with crab before making this dish, but it’s so good. Make the dressing first so the flavours can develop.
Eat as soon as this is made – otherwise the cucumber and radish tend to leach their water content.
Requires cooling time
Overview
Prep time
15 mins
Cook time
15 mins
Ingredients
For the dressing
- 1 tbsp white-wine vinegar
- ¼ tsp Dijon mustard
- 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 tbsp chopped tarragon (you might want more)
- 4 tbsp double cream
For the salad
- 150g waxy baby potatoes
- 2 small avocados
- 1 lemon
- 10cm piece of cucumber (preferably ridge cucumber), peeled
- 100g radishes (preferably French breakfast), trimmed and sliced lengthways
- 25g watercress or other small leaves
- a few sprigs of tarragon, leaves picked
- 200g white crabmeat
Method
Step
In a small bowl mix together 1 tbsp white-wine vinegar, ¼ tsp Dijon mustard and some seasoning for the dressing.
Step
Using a fork, whisk in 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp chopped tarragon and 4 tbsp double cream.
Step
Steam or boil 150g waxy baby potatoes until tender, then drain and let them cool. Carefully slice them.
Step
Halve and stone 2 small avocados, cut them into slices, then peel the skin from each slice. Put them in a serving bowl or on a platter. Squeeze most of the juice from 1 lemon over them (holding some back for later). Season.
Step
Remove the seeds from the 10cm peeled piece of cucumber with a teaspoon and cut it into slices. Add to the avocados along with 100g sliced radishes, the potatoes and 25g watercress or other small leaves.
Step
Season everything, squeeze over some more lemon juice. Drizzle over a little extra-virgin olive oil and scatter with tarragon leaves.
Step
Add a couple of tablespoons of dressing to 200g white crabmeat and season. Spoon some dressing over the vegetables, then arrange the crab on top and spoon on some more dressing (don’t use all of it if you don’t need to). Serve immediately.