Jalapeno-Citrus Golden Beet Noodle Salad with Crab, Avocado and Toasted Almonds
Try this Jalapeno-Citrus Golden Beet Noodle Salad with Crab, Avocado and Toasted Almonds recipe.
Try this Jalapeno-Citrus Golden Beet Noodle Salad with Crab, Avocado and Toasted Almonds recipe.
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ingredients
- for the salad:
- for the dressing:
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds
- 4 large golden beets peeled, blade c
- 2-3 cups watercress greens
- 1 cup lump crab meat
- 3/4 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
- 1.5 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- 1/8 teaspoon lemon zest
- 3/4 teaspoon seeded and finely diced jalapeno
- 1 avocado peeled, pitted and insides sliced thinly
- Carbohydrate 93.6569819793739 g
- Cholesterol 23.52 mg
- Fat 17.0508541694872 g
- Fiber 30.1953692415961 g
- Protein 22.9535973970465 g
- Saturated Fat 2.17828362521296 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (1056g)
- Sodium 509.368132812516 mg
- Sugar 63.4616127377778 g
- Trans Fat 2.39679445848938 g
- Calories 470 calories
Step-by-step
- Place a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Once heated, add in the almonds. Toast, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing. Taste and adjust to your preferences. Then, in a large bowl, toss together the beets, watercress, crab and dressing. Divide into plates.
- Garnish with avocado and toasted almonds.
Substituting red beets for the golden varieties specified here will completely transform the visual presentation by bleeding a deep crimson stain across the crab meat and watercress within minutes of tossing. Raw root vegetables require precise mechanical processing, so utilizing a mandoline or spiralizer with a consistent blade width ensures the strands remain tender rather than woody. Thinly ribboned root vegetables need that uniform thickness to absorb acidic dressings properly without retaining an unpleasantly fibrous crunch.
A common error involves dumping wet lump crab meat directly into the bowl, which dilutes the vinaigrette and introduces unwanted excess moisture to the greens. Sorting through the crab pieces on a dry paper towel beforehand removes stray shell fragments while protecting the delicate protein from becoming waterlogged. Furthermore, whisking the apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, orange juice, and olive oil in a separate container before application allows the honey to dissolve fully into the emulsion.
Toasting the slivered almonds in a dry skillet over medium-high heat for precisely two minutes releases their essential oils, but leaving them unattended for even thirty seconds past that threshold will burn the delicate edges. This quick thermal activation creates the necessary contrast against the buttery, non-cooked avocado slices and the snappy bite of finely diced jalapeno. Chefs often make the mistake of adding the avocado too early, causing the soft flesh to break down into a muddy paste when combined with the fibrous beet noodles.
Citrus-marinated raw salads do not store well once combined because the acid continues to cure the crab and wilt the watercress into a soggy mess over the course of an hour. Preparing components separately in advance—keeping the dressing, toasted nuts, and sliced vegetables isolated—preserves structural integrity until the final plating occurs. Maintaining this separation guarantees that every contrasting texture remains distinct from the first bite to the last.
