Yield: 4 servings

The full recipe of mango coulis makes about one cup, which is twice as much as you'll need for this crab salad. You can cut the recipe down to size, but I'd suggest you make the full cup, since it will keep for a day and is terrific served as a dipping sauce for boiled shrimp or an assortment of cut-up raw vegetables.

Ingredients:

Mango Coulis(optional):
Yield: About 1 cup
• 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted and cut into small dice
• ¼ cup water
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Salt and freshly ground white pepper

Method:
Heat the olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the mango, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes, until the fruit is very tender. Add the water, bring to a boil, and then pull the pan from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice, then scrape the mixture into the jar of a mini-blender or, better yet, a container in which you can use an immersion blender. Purée until smooth, let cool, and chill until needed. (The coulis can be made a day ahead and kept tightly covered in the refrigerator.)

Salad:
• 1 pound fresh lump crabmeat, preferably from Maine (see Editor’s Note), picked through to remove small pieces of shell or cartilage
• 1½ Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon cilantro leaves, finely chopped, plus 4 whole leaves for garnish
• 2 teaspoons mint leaves, finely chopped, plus 4 whole leaves for garnish
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 medium mango, peeled, pitted and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 Tablespoon unsalted peanuts, toasted and roughly chopped
• Tabasco sauce
• Salt and freshly ground white pepper

Method:
Season the crabmeat with 1 tablespoon of the lime juice, half the olive oil, two thirds of the chopped cilantro and mint, salt and pepper to taste, and about 10 drops of Tabasco. Toss the crabmeat lightly with a fork or your fingers. If you're going to present the salad family-style, put the crab in the bottom of a chilled shallow bowl. Or, for individual servings, arrange the crab in four chilled shallow soup plates.

Season the mango and cucumber with the remaining lime juice, olive oil and chopped cilantro and mint, salt and pepper to taste, and about 10 drops of Tabasco, and scatter the mixture over the crabmeat. (If necessary, you can prepare the elements of the salad 1 to 2 hours ahead, keep them covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator, and assemble them right before serving.) Sprinkle the salad with the chopped peanuts and top with the whole cilantro and mint leaves.

To serve:
If you've made a large bowl of salad, spoon out each portion at the table. Or present the salads in their individual bowls. If you've made it, serve the mango coulis on the side.