Warrior Crab Salad

Crabs are great! They're tasty, smooth, work well for stuffing anything, and can even serve as conversation pieces, as was the case when I created this recipe for a dear friend. My roommate's response? Something like "Oh my God, you're insane!" But, the end result was both tasty and entertaining!

Maryland blue crab in warrior pose atop a bed of spinach, kidney beans and crab meat.

Serves: 2 as main dish

Prep Time: 30 min (unless you happen to be smart and buy already-picked crab meat!)

Cook Time: 0 min

Ingredients:
12 blue crabs, cooked (yields about 2/3 pound crabmeat)
1/2 lb baby spinach, washed
1 can red kidney beans
2 sprigs of dill
2 baby portabella caps
thick gloves (very, very important! these crabs are warriors for a reason!)

Method:
Wearing gloves if possible, as the shells can cut you, crack open 10 of your 12 crabs, removing all meat. Set meat aside, throw out carcasses. On two plates, place a bed of spinach. Put half the crabmeat in the center of each plate. Surround the meat with a ring of kidney beans-the red represents the blood shed by the crabs while defending their kin. On top of the "meat mountain", place one intact crab. Pose him so that he can stand upright. Place a portabello cap in one of his claws. In the other, place a sprig of dill. The portabello is a shield, the dill sprig is a spear. Next, serve, and glare angrily at your dinner companion as your crabs fight.

Enjoy!


This is how your crab will look once it's ready for battle.


For a meaner twist, stick a fork in its claw instead of the dill sprig.


A dinner guest demonstrates appropriate battle face.