Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 tablespoons Fresh Dill, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
  • 1 teaspoon Honey or Maple Syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 cup Cottage Cheese (full fat or 2% recommended)
  • 6 ounces Lump Crab Meat (well-drained)
  • 1/2 medium English Cucumber, finely diced
  • 1 cup Cherry or Grape Tomatoes, halved
  • 2 tablespoons Red Onion, very thinly sliced or finely minced
  • 1/4 cup Celery, finely diced
  • 1 tablespoon Fresh Chives, snipped
  • 1/2 medium Avocado, diced (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Prepare the Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper. Whisk vigorously until slightly emulsified. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while continuously whisking until the dressing thickens slightly. Stir in the fresh dill. Set aside.
  2. Prepare the Vegetables: Dice the cucumber, halve the tomatoes, finely chop the red onion, and dice the celery. If using, dice the avocado.
  3. Prepare the Crab: Gently pick through the lump crab meat, removing any stray shell fragments, being careful not to break up the flakes too much.
  4. Dress the Filling (Optional but Recommended): In a separate small bowl, gently toss about half of the crab meat with 1 tablespoon of the prepared vinaigrette.
  5. Assemble the Base: Divide the cottage cheese evenly between the two serving bowls, creating a central mound in each.
  6. Layer the Components: Arrange the diced vegetables (cucumber, tomato, celery, avocado) artfully around the mound of cottage cheese.
  7. Top with Crab: Place the remaining plain crab meat and the lightly dressed crab meat mixture on top of the cottage cheese mound.
  8. Dress and Garnish: Drizzle the remaining Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette generously over the entire bowl. Garnish with snipped chives and a final grind of black pepper. Serve immediately.