Crab Salad

Crab salad is, for me, almost the definition of a comfort food: simple, delicious, and tied to memory. When I was a kid, it showed up in the fridge only as an occasional treat, but when it did, I loved it. I don't really know the origin of crab salad, but it seems to be part of the greater world of mayonnaise-based salads that are Midwestern deli staples. The seafood-mayo-celery combination is also a common one in other places, from New England's lobster salad rolls to mom's salmon salad sandwiches (another childhood favorite, to be sure). Crab salad is great as a snack on crackers or as a side dish for your summer grilling escapades. 

While one could certainly make a nice crab salad using real crab meat, that is not the point of this recipe. Imitation crab is actually made from pulverized fish parts, which makes it a close relative of Chinese fish balls (another old favorite of mine). This recipe is based on various deli crab salads I have eaten, as well as recipes from the internet. My spin on the recipe is to use some fresh herbs from the garden, which is always a pleasure.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb imitation crab
• 1 cup diced celery
• 4 Tbs chopped fresh chives
• 1 Tbs chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 large lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Roughly chop the imitation crab. Mine came pre-cut into half inch thick coins, which I cut in half. If yours is in "leg" form, you have a bit more work to do. Next, separate out the layers of each piece. This is time consuming, but worth it for the right texture.

Combine the crab, celery, chives, parsley, and mayo in a large bowl. Squeeze the juice from the half lemon into the bowl and mix thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover with plastic wrap and let chill overnight. Serve with crackers.