Crab Cocktail Recipe

Mushrooms and Onion

Clean mushrooms with a damp cloth and slice thinly (about 3-4 mm). Finely dice the red onion. Place both in a bowl and toss with 1 tsp lemon juice and a pinch (about 1/8 tsp) salt; set aside to mellow for 5 minutes.

Crab Sticks

Shred or thinly slice the imitation crab sticks into 1–2 cm pieces or ribbons so they bite-sized and have some texture.

Avocado

Halve and pit the avocado, scoop the flesh into a bowl and lightly mash with a fork. Immediately add remaining 1 tbsp lemon juice to prevent browning and to keep a creamy texture.

In a small bowl combine mayonnaise (3 tbsp), natural yogurt (1 tbsp), special chilli sauce (3 tbsp), Dijon mustard (1/2 tsp), 1 tsp olive oil, 1/4 tsp black pepper and 1/2 tsp sea salt. Whisk until smooth and taste; adjust heat by adding more chilli sauce if desired. Reserve about 1 tbsp of the dressing for drizzling at the end.

To the mashed avocado, fold in shredded crab sticks, sliced mushrooms and diced onion. Add the chilli-mayo dressing and gently combine so crab and vegetables are evenly coated but avocado retains some texture. Adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper or lemon to taste. The mixture should be creamy but not soupy.

Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F or use a toaster oven. Slice the brown baguette in half lengthwise or into 2–3 portions for individual servings. Lightly spread butter or brush olive oil on cut sides and toast in the oven for 5–7 minutes until just golden and slightly crisp.

While the bread toasts, arrange a bed of rocket leaves on the bottom half of the baguette or on serving plates. Spoon the crab-avocado mixture onto the rocket in an even layer, distributing evenly between portions.

Drizzle the reserved 1 tbsp chilli dressing over the top and garnish with microgreens or extra rocket. Serve with lemon wedges on the side for those who like an extra squeeze.

Serve immediately so the baguette remains crisp. This dish is best enjoyed fresh; if preparing ahead, keep the dressing separate and combine just before serving to preserve texture. Leftovers will keep up to 24 hours refrigerated in an airtight container, but the bread will soften.