Ingredients:

  • 1 lb (450 g) Cooked Lump Crab Meat, thoroughly drained and picked for shells
  • 1 stalk Celery, finely diced
  • 1 small Shallot, very finely minced
  • 2 Tbsp Fresh Dill, finely chopped
  • 1 Tbsp Fresh Chives, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup Light Mayonnaise
  • 2 Tbsp Plain Greek Yogurt (or Crème Fraîche)
  • 1 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 1/2 tsp Lemon Zest
  • 1/2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt, or to taste
  • 1/4 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper, or to taste
  • A dash Hot Sauce (optional, e.g., Tabasco)

Instructions:

  1. Prep the Vegetables: Finely dice the celery and mince the shallot. Roughly chop the fresh dill and chives. Pat the crab meat very dry using a paper towel to prevent a watery salad base.
  2. Make the Dressing: In the large mixing bowl, combine the light mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, Old Bay seasoning, salt, pepper, and optional hot sauce.
  3. Whisk and Taste: Whisk the dressing thoroughly until smooth. Give it a quick taste—it should be vibrant and slightly punchy at this stage, as the crab will mellow the flavors significantly.
  4. Combine Vegetables: Add the diced celery, minced shallot, dill, and chives to the dressing mixture. Stir gently until well combined.
  5. Introduce the Crab: Gently place the dried lump crab meat into the bowl.
  6. Fold Gently (The Key Step): Using a large rubber spatula, very gently fold the dressing and aromatics through the crab. The goal is to coat the crab without breaking the lumps. Stop folding as soon as everything is just combined.
  7. Chill: Cover the bowl tightly with cling film and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes (up to 2 hours). This chilling time is crucial as it allows the dressing to permeate the crab and the textures to set.
  8. Final Seasoning: Before serving, give the crab salad one final, gentle fold. Taste again and adjust the seasoning if necessary (often, it benefits from a final pinch of salt or squeeze of lemon juice) and serve properly chilled.