Baked Avocado and Crabmeat Salad Recipe

Baked Avocado and Crabmeat Salad

from Nirmala's Edible Diary: A Hungry Traveler's Cookbook by Nirmala Narine

Ingredients:

8 oz jumbo lump crabmeat, picked through for cartilage
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1 small shallot, minced
1 tsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp heavy cream or mayonnaise
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 large, firm but ripe avocados, cut in half and pitted
2 oz shredded Monterey Jack or mozzarella cheese
2 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
4 small lime twists for garnish

Serves 4

This and many other wonderful recipes may be found in Nirmala's Edible Diary: A Hungry Traveler's Cookbook
by Nirmala Narine from Chronicle Books

Avocados are abundant in Colombia, and in every market you can find heaps of them. At each home or street-food stall I visited, I feasted on some type of tasty salad made with avocados. The unique soil and climate of Colombia really has an effect on the texture and taste of fruits and vegetables. But since in America we grow some meaty avocados ourselves, you'll still be able to achieve the complex flavor.

Preheat the oven to 475F. Lightly grease a medium baking pan.

In a small bowl, combine the crabmeat, time juice, shallot, cilantro, and cream. Lightly toss, and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Cut a very thin slice off the rounded outer edge of the avocados to create a stable base. Place the avocado halves in the prepared baking pan, hollow-side up. Divide the crabmeat mixture evenly among the avocado hollows.

Cover the surface of the avocados evenly with both cheeses. Transfer to the oven and bake until the cheese is bubbly and light brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Garnish each with a sprinkle of chives and a lime twist. Serve immediately