Crab Cobb Salad with Caramelized Pecans

Name: Crab Cobb Salad with Caramelized Pecans
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4-6 serving(s)
Ingredients: 1 3/4 cups pecan halves; 1/4 cup white sugar; salt, to taste; 1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 bag pre-washed salad greens (I used half a bag of romaine and half a bag of “spring greens”); salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 8 slices hickory smoked bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled; 1 1/2 cups diced seeded fresh tomatoes; 1 cup grated carrot; 2 large avocados, peeled,pitted and diced; 3/4 lemon, juice of, divided; garlic salt, to taste; 1 1/2 cups lump crabmeat or 1 1/2 cups imitation crabmeat (or a combination); 2 -3 ounces crumbled gorgonzola or 2 -3 ounces blue cheese; ranch dressing

Submitted by quantumgirl

"Unlike the one-person Cobb salads at restaurants, here everyone serves him/herself from one big beautiful bowl (though you can of course arrange individual salads, if you prefer). The crab, bacon and avocado make a fantastic combination, the carrots are a colorful, light alternative to shredded cheese, and the caramelized pecans are to-die-for, especially with the blue cheese. YUM! Serves 4 as main dish, 6 as side salad."

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Ready In:: 40mins
Ingredients:: 16
Serves:: 4-6

ingredients

1 ³⁄₄ cups pecan halves
¹⁄₄ cup white sugar
salt, to taste
¹⁄₈ - ¹⁄₄ teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 bag pre-washed salad greens (I used half a bag of romaine and half a bag of “spring greens”)
salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
8 slices hickory smoked bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1 ¹⁄₂ cups diced seeded fresh tomatoes
1 cup grated carrot
2 large avocados, peeled,pitted and diced
³⁄₄ lemon, juice of, divided
garlic salt, to taste
1 ¹⁄₂ cups lump crabmeat or 1 1/2 cups imitation crabmeat (or a combination)
2 -3 ounces crumbled gorgonzola or 2 -3 ounces blue cheese
ranch dressing

directions

Make caramelized pecans (see directions below), cook bacon and drain and crumble, and prepare vegetables.
Squeeze juice of half a lemon onto avocado pieces, sprinkle them with garlic salt, and stir gently to coat.
Squeeze remaining lemon juice onto crab.
Place salad greens in a large bowl.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss gently.
Arrange toppings in triangle or pie-wedge shaped areas on top of salad in the following order clockwise: crab (at “12 o’clock”), avocado, bacon, carrot, gorgonzola, pecans (1 to 1 ½ cup), tomato.
Serve from the middle outward, grabbing lettuce from underneath and taking bits from the various toppings.
Pass ranch dressing.
Enjoy!
Caramelized Pecans: Place pecans and sugar in large metal skillet.
Sprinkle with salt, cayenne and garlic powder.
Cook on medium-low, stirring constantly, until sugar begins to melt and stick to the bottom of the pan, about 4-6 minutes.
Continue stirring one minute, then lower heat to low and continue stirring constantly until sugar liquefies and the pecans are fully coated, about 3-5 more minutes.
Remove immediately from heat and spread to cool on foil sprayed with cooking spray.
When cool, separate gently.
Note: This makes a bit more than you’ll need for the salad to provide for the “munch” factor!

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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

quantumgirl

United States

I just (finally!) finished a Ph.D. in poetry-writing, literature, and rhetoric. Love: murder mysteries, travel, old cookbooks, NYT crossword puzzles, black and white movies, autumn leaves, quantum physics, old fiestaware, dinner parties, Belgian and Czech beer, any form of cheese (except fat-free!), a spot of fine whisky, being by myself in any foreign country.

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