Crab Louie facts for kids
Crab Louie salad showing main ingredients
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| Alternative names | Crab Louis |
|---|---|
| Course | Hors d'œuvre |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Region or state | West Coast |
| Serving temperature | Chilled or room temperature |
| Main ingredients | Crab meat, hard-boiled eggs, tomato, asparagus, Iceberg lettuce, Louis dressing |
Crab Louie salad, also known as Crab Louis or the "King of Salads," is a delicious dish that features lots of crab meat. This popular salad first appeared on the West Coast of the United States in the early 1900s. People often enjoy it as a starter or a light meal.
The Story Behind Crab Louie
The exact beginning of Crab Louie is a bit of a mystery! We know it was served in San Francisco as early as 1914. A cookbook from that time, Bohemian San Francisco, even had a recipe for it. Another chef, Victor Hirtzler, who worked at the St. Francis Hotel, had a similar recipe in his 1910 cookbook.
Some people think the salad was named after Louis Coutard. He was a chef at the Bergez-Frank's Old Poodle Dog restaurant in San Francisco. His restaurant had a "Crab Leg à la Louis" on the menu in 1908.
Another idea is that Louis Davenport created it. He started the famous Davenport Hotel in Spokane, Washington. He used fresh crab from Seattle for his hotel guests. His recipe might even be older than 1914!
Crab Louie was very popular in the early to mid-1900s. You can still find it on menus at some hotels and restaurants on the West Coast today.
What's in a Crab Louie Salad?
The main ingredient for Crab Louie, as you might guess, is crab meat! The best kind of crab to use is Dungeness crab. However, other types of crab meat can be used too. Sometimes, even imitation crab meat is used.
An important part of the salad is a creamy dressing. This is usually Louis dressing, but sometimes Thousand Island dressing or Green goddess dressing are used. The dressing can be served on the side, or mixed right into the salad.
A typical Crab Louie salad usually includes:
- Crab meat
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Tomato
- Asparagus
- A bed of crisp Iceberg lettuce
- Louis dressing, which is made with mayonnaise and chili sauce
Sometimes, other ingredients like olives or green onions are added. There's also a variation called Lobster Louie. It's made the same way, but with lobster meat instead of crab.
See also
In Spanish: Crab Louie para niños
