Ellie Krieger
THE WASHINGTON POST – I think of crab and avocado as culinary soul mates, a couple that unfailingly complements each other both flavour- and nutrition-wise. Crab brings a fresh, briny, succulence to the plate, along with lean protein, minerals and a good amount of vitamin B12, while avocado counters with buttery richness from its healthy fat, plus plenty of folate and fiber. I am always seeking new ways to bring the two together, and I found a delightfully whimsical one in this recipe.
I initially set out to create a crab-topped avocado toast, which would certainly have been satisfying in its simplest form.
But looking to add an extra element of flavour, I decided to reach for some of the crispy seaweed snacks I had on hand, crushing them on top for a fun, confetti effect.
With that, I realised I was closing in on the flavours of a California roll, so I decided to run with it. I swapped my toast for a crunchy rice cake (I used brown rice cakes because, well, whole grains,) added a kick of wasabi paste to the avocado and, voila, this recipe was born.
It makes for a lovely component for a light meal, along with, say, a miso or chilled vegetable soup and a salad; it’s also a satisfying snack on its own, and it can stand out as one of several small plates at a get-together.
WASABI AVOCADO AND CRAB ON CRISPY RICE CAKES
Total time: 15 minutes
Four servings
This recipe is something of a mash-up of avocado toast and a California roll – with wasabi-spiked avocado spread onto crunchy rice cakes, topped with crab and then showered with a confetti of crushed crispy seaweed snacks. It’s as satisfying as it is fun, served with miso soup and salad for a light meal, on its own as a snack or as one of several small plates at
a get-together.
INGREDIENTS
Two medium ripe avocados (about seven ounces each)
One tablespoon plus two teaspoons fresh lime juice, divided
One-and-a-half teaspoons wasabi paste
Half teaspoon kosher salt
Eight ounces crabmeat, lump or claw, drained and picked over to remove any shell or cartilage
Four brown rice cakes
Eight sheets roasted nori seaweed snacks (about quarter ounce total)
DIRECTIONS
In a medium bowl, mash the avocados with two teaspoons of the lime juice, the wasabi paste and the salt until smooth.
In a small bowl, toss the crab with the remaining tablespoon of lime juice to combine.
Spread each rice cake with a quarter of the mashed avocado, then top each with a quarter of the crabmeat. Crush two sheets of the seaweed snacks on top of each and serve.
Nutrition (per serving, based on 4 servings)
Calories: 247; Total Fat: 16 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Cholesterol: 60 mg; Sodium: 462 mg; Carbohydrates: 28 g; Dietary Fibre: 10 g; Sugar: 1 g; Protein: 18 g
