Green Goddess Crab Louis
A marriage of two classic San Francisco salads — Green Goddess (created at the Palace Hotel in 1923) and Crab Louis (the signature of the city’s seafood restaurants since the early 1900s). James Beard championed both dishes in his American cookbooks, and this hybrid became emblematic of California’s retro fine dining revival. The richness of fresh Dungeness crab meets an aggressively herbed, tarragon-forward dressing that cuts through with vinegar brightness.
Ingredients (serves 4)
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Fresh Dungeness or brown crab meat | 400g, picked |
| Iceberg or butter lettuce, shredded | 1 head |
| Ripe avocado, sliced | 2 |
| Cherry tomatoes, halved | 150g |
| Cucumber, thinly sliced | 1 medium |
| Radishes, thinly sliced | 6 |
| Hard-boiled eggs, quartered | 4 |
| Capers (optional, for garnish) | 1 tbsp |
| Lemon wedges | to serve |
Method
- Arrange the base: Spread shredded lettuce across a large chilled platter or into four individual bowls.
- Layer ingredients: Arrange avocado slices, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and radishes decoratively over the lettuce.
- Add crab: Pile the fresh crab meat in the centre. It should be the focal point — do not mix it through.
- Garnish: Arrange quartered hard-boiled eggs around the edge. Scatter capers if using.
- Dress: Spoon Green-Goddess-Chez-Panisse dressing generously over the crab and greens. Serve remaining dressing alongside. Add lemon wedges.
Notes
- Dungeness crab is the traditional choice; brown crab (common in Europe) works beautifully and is more accessible outside the US West Coast.
- The salad must be served very cold — chill the plates.
- Do not overdress: the crab’s sweetness should come through. Serve extra dressing on the side.
- A 1970s dinner party presentation (everything arranged in concentric rings on a platter) is entirely appropriate and encouraged.
- James Beard’s original notes insisted on fresh — not canned — crab. This is worth respecting.
Dressing: Green-Goddess-Chez-Panisse Source: James Beard / Retro American Fine Dining
Green-Goddess-Chez-Panisse · Modern-Contemporary · Salad-Dressings