House Salads Recipe

Prepare lettuce

Trim root end of each Little Gem head, remove any outer wilted leaves, then slice each head lengthwise into halves or quarters depending on size. Rinse briefly under cold water and spin dry in a salad spinner or pat dry with towels.

Prepare vegetables

Halve the cherry tomatoes. Peel, halve and thinly slice the cucumber (or cut into half-moons). Halve the avocado, remove pit, scoop out flesh and slice into 8–10 thin slices; reserve a few slices for garnish. Toss cucumber and tomatoes lightly with a pinch of salt and set aside.

Chop herbs

Finely chop the chives and dill (if using). Reserve a small pinch of chives for finishing.

Make dressing base

In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream (or yogurt), Dijon mustard, lemon juice, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce and minced garlic until smooth and emulsified.

Season dressing

Stir in the chopped capers, hot sauce (if using), salt and pepper. Taste and adjust acidity with additional lemon juice or salt as needed.

Fold in crab and avocado

Gently fold the cooked lump crab meat into the dressing to coat evenly, taking care not to break up large lumps. Fold in about three-quarters of the sliced avocado, gently pressing so avocado is incorporated but remains in pieces. Reserve remaining avocado slices for plating. If mixture seems too thick, thin with 1–2 teaspoons cold water or additional lemon juice until a saucy consistency is achieved.

Arrange the prepared Little Gem halves (or quarters) on four chilled plates—one head per two people if halved, or adjust so each serving has equal lettuce. Distribute the cherry tomatoes and cucumber slices evenly around and on top of the lettuce.

Spoon generous portions of the crab & avocado dressing over the center of each Little Gem portion, allowing some dressing to cascade over the leaves.

Top each salad with the reserved avocado slices, a light drizzle (about 1/4 teaspoon per plate) of extra-virgin olive oil, and a sprinkle of the reserved chopped chives and dill.

Season each plate with a final pinch of flaky sea salt and a twist of freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side for extra brightness.