Crab Louie Salad with King Crab

This King Crab Louie Salad is a lighter version of the classic Crab Louie, and is topped with steamed king crab and a spicy yogurt dressing.

📝 Ingredients

• 1 pound King Crab Legs ( See Recipe Notes)
• 4 ounces Fresh spinach
• 1 Romaine heart, roughly chopped
• 4 boiled eggs (or more if desired), halved
• 1 large tomato, diced (or more if desired)
• 1 avocado, cut into slices
• 6 asparagus stalks, raw, cut into 2" pieces (Optional)
• 2 lemons, quartered
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 1 tablespoon horseradish root, freshly grated (or sub prepared)
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Steaming the Crab Legs: ---
2. 2Start with a stockpot large enough to hold all the crab legs. (If the legs just barely stick out of the top of the pot, you can still use the pot.) Fill the pot with about 1/2" water, and bring water to a boil over medium-high heat.
3. 3Add a steamer basket to the pot. Set the crab legs inside the pot, and cover with a lid. (If the legs stick out of the pot slightly, and prevent the lid from sealing, use a piece of aluminum foil as a lid and pinch it against the pot to create a sealed environment.)
4. 4Steam the crab legs 4-6 minutes total for thawed crab legs or 10-11 minutes total for frozen legs.
5. 5Carefully remove crab legs from the pot using tongs, and rinse the legs with cold water.
6. 6--- Removing Crab Meat: ---
7. 7Use a crab cracker to remove crab meat from shells, or use a chef's knife and kitchen shears. (Check the Recipe Notes for a tutorial link.)
8. 8--- Spicy Yogurt Sauce: ---
9. 9Add all the sauce ingredients together, and stir. Salt to taste. (This dressing is thick, allowing it to work as both a dressing and a sauce to dip the crab into. If you prefer a thinner dressing, add more lemon juice.)
10. 10--- Assemble the Salad: ---
11. 11(Optional): Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Blanch asparagus for 1 minute or less, until bright green. Drain water, and set asparagus aside.
12. 12Toss together the romaine hearts and spinach. Use the lettuce as a base for the salad, and then add the tomatoes, avocado, boiled eggs, asparagus, and crab. Serve with limes and the avocado dressing.