Jumbo Lump Crab Cocktail Recipe
smashed avocado, egg, meyer lemon
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Crab Cocktail
Avocado Egg Salad Base
Garnish & Serving
Method
Crab Cocktail
Prepare crab
Gently pick through the jumbo lump crab meat to remove any shell fragments. Place the crab in a chilled bowl and, using a light touch, break apart any excessively large lumps into bite-size pieces without mashing the meat.
Dress crab
Whisk together 2 tbsp meyer lemon juice, 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 tsp fine sea salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl. Pour the dressing over the crab and toss gently to coat. Fold in 2 tbsp chopped chives. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional lemon or salt if desired. Chill while preparing the avocado egg base, 10–15 minutes.
Avocado Egg Salad Base
Cook and prep eggs
If eggs are not already hard-boiled: place 2 large eggs in a pot, cover with cold water by 1 inch, bring to a gentle boil, then remove from heat and cover; let sit 9 minutes. Transfer to ice water for 5 minutes, then peel. Chop eggs roughly.
Make smashed avocado-egg mix
In a medium bowl, mash 1 cup ripe avocado with a fork until mostly smooth with some small chunks. Add the chopped hard-boiled eggs and gently fold to combine. Mix in 1 tsp meyer lemon zest, 1 tbsp meyer lemon juice, 2 tbsp greek yogurt or mayo, 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper and 1/4 tsp smoked paprika (if using). Taste and adjust seasoning or acidity. The texture should be creamy but with egg pieces for body.
Assembly & Garnish
Plate the base
Spoon or ring 2 to 3 tablespoons of the smashed avocado-egg mixture onto each serving plate or into shallow cocktail glasses to form a small nest in the center (makes 4 servings). Smooth the top slightly to create a shallow well.
Finish & serve
Scatter microgreens or baby arugula around or atop each portion. Sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt over the crab, add a light grind of black pepper, and optionally dot with a teaspoon of cocktail sauce on the side. Garnish with meyer lemon wedges and serve with toasted baguette slices or crackers.