Name: Crab Louie
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 cup mayonnaise; 3 tablespoons ketchup; 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; 1 garlic clove, minced; 1 teaspoon Tabasco; 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; 1/4 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika; 1/4 teaspoon chili powder; Salt and freshly ground pepper; black pepper; 3/4 pound asparagus; Two 6-ounce romaine hearts, cut crosswise 1/2 inch thick; One 6-ounce seedless cucumber, thinly sliced or cut into spears; 4 large radishes, thinly sliced; 4 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges (optional); 4 hard-cooked eggs, cut into wedges; 1 pound crabmeat, preferably Dungeness

Total Time:

40 mins

Yield:

4 to 6 servings

Frequently asked questions

What is the origin of the Crab Louie salad?

Crab Louie salad, often dubbed the "king of salads," is a West Coast classic that began popping up at various area restaurants in the early 1900s. It isn't entirely clear, however, just who made the first Crab Louie or who the salad is named for. We do know that the dish appeared on the menu at San Francisco's Hotel Francis café and Solari's in 1910 and 1914, respectively, as well as at the Davenport Hotel in Spokane, Washington, around the same time.

What is Crab Louie made of?

A traditional Crab Louie salad starts with a bed of lettuce (often iceberg but romaine here), includes heaps of Dungeness crab, and dons a creamy, pink dressing that's not far removed from Thousand Island. Beyond that, there is little agreement about what truly belongs in the king of salads, though the asparagus, cucumber, tomato, and hard-cooked eggs in this Crab Louie recipe are typical. In some versions, the dressing is dotted with olives, and avocado slices are not an uncommon addition.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Crab Louie salad dressing is, in fact, much like Thousand Island, but the two are not interchangeable. Louie dressing is less sweet and features a little kick, either from chile, chile sauce, or horseradish. And while Dungeness crab is preferred for this salad, feel free to use whatever type is available. You can even use shrimp instead for a whole other kind of seafood Louie.

Suggested pairing

This dish is great with the fresh flavors in California Chardonnay.

Ingredients

Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon Tabasco
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon chili powder blend
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Salad

3/4 pound asparagus
2 (6-ounce) romaine hearts, cut crosswise 1/2-inch thick
1 (6-ounce) seedless cucumber, thinly sliced or cut into spears
4 large radishes, thinly sliced
4 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges (optional)
4 hard-cooked eggs, cut into wedges
1 pound crabmeat, preferably Dungeness

Directions

In a bowl, whisk the mayonnaise with the ketchup, relish, lemon juice, garlic, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, and chili powder; season with salt and pepper. Let the dressing stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
In a medium saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the asparagus until just tender, 3 minutes. Drain and cool.
Arrange the romaine, cucumber, radishes, tomatoes, eggs, and asparagus on a platter. Top with large chunks of the crabmeat and serve, passing the dressing at the table.