This could be the ultimate summer offering. For a super-refreshing small-bite, start with peekytoe crab, then uplift it. I mixed this stellar ingredient with freshly grated Daikon radish, gypsy pepper, and cucumber to add a special freshness. Topping with lemon peel curls makes these extra festive, party-ready crab salad canapes.

Instead of crackers, I chose to serve the crab salad on baked yuca chips, which lend a chewy texture and much more to offer in the realm of nutrition. If you’ve never had yuca, this is your place to start. It’s similar to potatoes, but has a much lighter feel to it. Frying the yuca slices would create more of a chip—choose whichever method suits your crowd and time frame.

Ingredient source: Peekytoe Crab, a crustacean delight, is available pre-cooked, and ready for dolling-up at The Lobster Place in Chelsea Market, NYC. This is one of my go-to spots in NYC whenever I’m looking for seafood for serving to guests. Their selection and quality is a-one.

I’ve created a bunch of recipes to host a stunning White Party, featuring a menu of, you guessed it, all white foods. I like doing this around the holidays instead of a typical red-and-green theme. This crab salad canape looks even more spectacular when it’s part of this minimalist tablescape.

makes topping for about 30-40 slices of yuca

GET OUT THE FOOD PROCESSOR…GRATE THE VEGGIES

1/2 english cucumber, peeled
2 to 3-inch piece of daikon
1 small gypsy pepper
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Cut cucumber, radish, and pepper into large chunks that can fit in a food processor chute. Grate, transfer to bowl.

MAKE THE CRAB SALAD

1/2 CUP sour cream
1 1/4 CUPS peekytoe crab salad (about 1/2 LB)
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 1/2 tsp salt
pinch of cayenne
1-inch slice from 8 oz brick of cream cheese
lemon salt (optional)
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To the grated stuff, add sour cream, crab, lemon, salt and cayenne and mix well. Drain excess liquid, pushing down on it to get most of it out. Mix in the cream cheese with a fork, so mixture is stiff and will not ooze. Add a pinch of lemon salt, if you wish.

MAKE THE CHIPS

1 yuca, peeled with a sharp knife, cut into 1/8-inch slices
2 sprigs of thyme, chopped finely
1 tsp salt
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Place yuca on parchment in single layer, sprinkle on thyme and salt. Bake for 20 min, middle shelf of oven. Let cool on the pan.

ASSEMBLE THE BITES

crab salad
yuca chips
lemon curls, for garnish
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With a fork, pile the crab salad onto each yuca chip, place on working plate. Pinch the tops of each pile of crab salad to form a pyramid shape. Garnish with one lemon curl apiece. Arrange on serving dish.

See more recipes and ideas for creating an eye-catching, totally white buffet in 02 An All White Party