Description
A fresh and vibrant Samphire & Crab Salad featuring crispy sourdough croutons, tender samphire, peppery watercress, and delicate brown and white crab meat, all tossed in a zesty lemon and crème fraîche dressing. Perfect for a light, elegant meal or starter.
Ingredients
Scale
Croutons
- 2 slices of sourdough bread
- 1½ tbsp rapeseed oil, divided
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Salad
- 180g samphire
- 100g watercress
Dressing
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 tbsp crème fraîche
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 1 tbsp chopped dill (optional)
- 60g brown crab meat
- 60g white crab meat
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the croutons: Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Tear the sourdough bread into rough chunks and place them in a bowl. Add ½ tbsp of rapeseed oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss well to coat, then spread the bread chunks out evenly on a baking tray. Bake for 8-10 minutes until golden and crispy. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
- Cook the samphire: Bring a large pan of water to a boil. Add the samphire and cook for 3 minutes until tender but still crisp. Drain immediately and plunge the samphire into a bowl of ice-cold water to stop the cooking process. Let it cool for a few minutes, then drain thoroughly.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, crème fraîche, 1 tbsp of rapeseed oil, brown crab meat, and chopped dill if using. Season with salt and pepper. Mix gently until well combined and set aside.
- Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, mix together the drained samphire and watercress. Drizzle over the dressing and toss everything well to coat the leaves and samphire evenly.
- Serve: Arrange the dressed salad on a platter or divide between individual plates. Top with the white crab meat and scatter the crispy croutons over the salad. Serve immediately for the best texture and freshness.
Notes
- For a more citrusy flavor, add some lemon zest to the dressing.
- If samphire is unavailable, substitute with blanched green beans or asparagus.
- The dill is optional but adds a lovely fresh herbaceous note to the dressing.
- Use fresh crab meat for best flavor, but canned or pre-cooked crab can be used in a pinch.
- Serve this salad chilled or at room temperature for optimal taste.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: samphire salad, crab salad, sourdough croutons, lemon dressing, quick salad recipe, seafood salad
