Dungeness Crab Louie Salad

The Crab Louie belongs to the Pacific Coast the way bouillabaisse belongs to Marseille. San Francisco and Seattle have argued over its birthright for a century. I say let them fight. What matters is that the dish exists, and that you make it properly.

Dungeness crab is the sweetest crustacean swimming in American waters. Named for a small Washington fishing village, these crabs have fed the peoples of this coast for thousands of years. The Makah, the Quinault, the Coast Salish tribes all harvested them long before European settlers arrived. Later, Chinese and Scandinavian fishermen built the commercial fleet that still supplies our markets today. When you eat Dungeness, you're tasting layers of history.

The Louie dressing deserves your attention. Most restaurants buy something from a jar that tastes of nothing but mayonnaise and food coloring. The real thing balances tangy and sweet, with enough heat to wake up your palate and enough richness to stand up to the crab. Make it from scratch. It takes ten minutes and transforms this salad from ordinary to memorable.

This is a composed salad, which means presentation matters. Each element gets its own place on the plate. The crab sits proud at the center. The accompaniments arrange themselves around it like courtiers. You eat with your eyes first, and a well-composed Louie is a beautiful sight.