Crab salad - general principles and methods of preparation
For the first time crab sticks appeared in our country as early as 90 years. They began to decorate the tables in the crab salad of the "new Russians", and gave the impression of an exotic marine delicacy. Few people tried real crabs in those days, a tasty and unusual product gave a feeling of belonging to the elect.
Times are changing, and today in each store we can see a variety of "crab sticks" that are popular because of the low price and the ability to quickly cook several dishes, such as salads or rolls. Few people think about what is in their composition and what they consist of. Paradoxically, crab meat is not used at all in this product. The low-calorie product (100 Kcal per 100 grams) includes minced fish, protein, water, salt, sugar and starch.
Surimi, a fillet of freshly caught ocean fish with a low fat content and high density, is used as minced fish. It can be a fish of cod species - pollock, hake, blue whiting. The widespread belief that crab sticks are made from waste is completely wrong, surimi is made only from white fillet, washed many times with water, resulting in only insoluble protein.
Salad of crab sticks captivates with its ease of preparation - because the ingredients, with the exception of eggs, do not need to be boiled. They are combined with many products, so the number of recipes is constantly increasing, and each time you can cook a new crab salad.
Crab Salad - Food Preparation
Finding high-quality crab sticks is not so easy, but the main rule, of course, is the price. The more expensive the product, the more it contains surimi and less soy protein. The crab taste of the sticks is obtained by adding flavor enhancers and flavors, and with the help of carmine and paprika color is added. Surimi should come first in the list of ingredients. If it is not indicated in the list at all, it is better not to buy such a product.
Of course, it is advisable to buy sticks with natural flavors or dyes, pay attention to the color - it should only be on the outside. In appearance they should be resilient and outwardly neat, then they will be juicy to taste. Defrost them at room temperature. As for the other canned ingredients (usually corn, olives, mayonnaise), the recommendations may be similar - to the extent possible, more natural. Almost all recipes have boiled eggs - stock them in advance, cook and cool.
Crab salad - the best recipes
Recipe 1: Mimosa with crab sticks
Mimosa is a puff salad that is beloved by our people; it is associated with the external yellow color obtained from the top layer of egg yolks. Mimosa with crab sticks is a quick holiday.
Ingredients: eggs (4-5 pcs), crab sticks (200 grams), cheese (200 gr.), Onions (1 pc), apple (2 pcs), mayonnaise - to taste, about a can (200 gr).
Cooking method
The secret of the well-known "Mimosa" is that the ingredients are stacked in layers. First you need to boil the eggs, separate the proteins from the yolks. Prepare the onion - chop it and soak in cold water to remove excess bitterness. Layers: cut the egg whites with a fork, grate the cheese on a fine grater, freeze the butter in the refrigerator and also grate, peel the apple from the peel and core, rub it using a coarse grater. We spread in the same order. We coat all layers with a layer of mayonnaise, spread a layer of crushed egg yolks on top.
Recipe 2: Crab Sticks with Rice and Pickled Mushrooms
Pickled mushrooms add sourness and spicy flavor to the salad. In order not to overdo it, add some rice.
Ingredients: crab sticks (1 pack), rice (1/2 cup), eggs (3 pcs), onions (1 pc), pickled mushrooms (1 can or 1 cup), mayonnaise, greens.
Cooking method
To prepare this salad, pickled champignons are best suited. You can use any other hard mushrooms. We cut eggs, mushrooms, crab sticks, onions, mix with rice and season the ingredients with mayonnaise. We decorate with greens and small beautiful mushrooms: in the center there is a sprig of parsley, and under it we plant mushrooms. Original combination: a small mushroom meadow in a rice-crab field.
Recipe 3: Salad of Crab Sticks and Oranges Recipe
Oranges are used in many salads. This is not to say that this is a recipe for every day, but still lovers of combinations of the most diverse products will find something new in it.
Ingredients: eggs (5 pcs.), crab sticks (250-300gr), sweet corn (300 gr), oranges (2 pcs), mayonnaise, garlic.
Cooking method
Boil the eggs and chop. Cut the crab sticks. Peel the oranges and divide into slices, cut very carefully. Separate the corn from the juice and mix with the rest of the ingredients, season with mayonnaise and salt to taste.
Recipe 4: Crab Stick Salad with Ham and Mushrooms
Almost all crab salads are seasoned with mayonnaise, with the exception of this dish, which already has a rich composition. We season it with a special filling - vegetable oil, spices, lemon juice - a delicious and nutritious salad will get a new look.
Ingredients: mushrooms (150g), crab sticks (300g), 300g, sweet pepper (200g), ham (100g), potatoes (300g), vegetable oil, salt, pepper, olives, herbs - to taste.
Cooking method
For salad, you can use fresh or pickled mushrooms. Boil fresh mushrooms in salt water with spices, pickled just separate from the brine. Potatoes, ham and mushrooms are cut into cubes, peppers are straws, crab sticks are cut across and into small pieces along. Mix and season with salt, pepper, lemon juice and vegetable oil. We place the greens and olives beautifully on top.
Recipe 5: Corn Crab Stick Salad with Chips
This salad is different from the classic one by the presence of one ingredient - crab chips. They can be spread around in the form of flower petals or filled up from above - it all depends on the mood and desire. A beautiful flower with a crab flavor will become a table decoration and a good way to satisfy hunger.
Ingredients: Sweet corn (1 can), crab sticks (200 gr), eggs (3 pcs), onions 1 pc), mayonnaise, chips (1 pack), cucumbers (2 pcs).
Cooking method
Cut the crab sticks and eggs into slices, chop the onion finely and mix with corn, rice and cucumbers. Spread in a salad bowl. We put chopped crab sticks into a large wide dish. We decorate with chips only when serving.
Crab salad - useful tips from experienced chefs
Not only salads, but also a variety of snacks are prepared from crab sticks. If you select special sticks that unwind - you can spread the resulting strip with a suitable filling and twist. Imagine how beautiful rolls will turn out if you put a sprig of parsley inside so that the greens peek out. Or another option - balls with filling. Grate the sticks, mix with mayonnaise, and roll a ball with a round olive inside, and if you brew it in grated cheese, you get an appetizing and interesting snack.
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