Crab, Avocado and Lime Salad

During the summer months there is nothing I enjoy more than fresh seafood. This Nigel Slater recipe combines sweet crabmeat with a punchy Asian dressing and creamy avocado giving a lovely light salad, perfect for a summers day or even as a first course when entertaining. 

Fresh crabmeat is preferable for this dish, however its availability can be limited, tinned crab meat is a good alternative easily found in the supermarket and tastes just as good!

Crab, Avocado and Lime Salad (serves 2 as a main, 4 as a starter)

• 300g crab meat 
• 2 small avocados
• 10cm piece of cucumber
• 2 spring onions
• 1 red chilli 

For the dressing

• 1 tbsp (heaped) palm sugar (you can use caster sugar)
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 4 tbsp lime juice
• Small handful of coriander leaves

To serve

• 4 slices of ciabatta
• Olive oil
• 1/2 a lime

1) Finely chop the chilli and spring onions.

2) Peel and deseed the cucumber; dice the flesh into small cubes.

3) Peel and dice the avocados them mix with the cucumber, chilli and spring onion.

4) To make the dressing add the palm sugar to a mixing bowl with the lime juice and fish sauce; stir until all the sugar has dissolved. Finely chop the coriander and stir into the dressing.

5) Toast the ciabatta until golden brown and crisp, drizzle with olive oil and lime juice.

6) Add the crabmeat and dressing and stir through gently, trying to avoid breaking the crab up too much. Serve atop of the toasted ciabatta. 

Perfect served with a nice, chilled glass of Riesling.