The Real Food Academy Miami's spicy smooth salad recipe.
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Spicy Smooth Salad (Spicy Crab Salad)

By Chef Maria Cummins

Course
salad
Cuisine
asian
Servings
10

Equipment

  • 2 ½ inch food ring to make the salad
  • 1 spoon

Ingredients

  • Ingredients listed below

Instructions

Ingredients for Vinaigrette
  • 1/4 cup shallots, finely chopped
  • 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • Juice of 4 fresh limes
  • 2 tablespoons seasoned vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus more for salad
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper, plus more for salad
  • 1/2 cup avocado oil
Ingredients for Spicy Mayo Dressing

Makes one 12-ounce squeeze bottle

  • 1 cup mayonnaise, vegan or regular
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • ¼ cup siracha (or less if you want less spicy)
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon water
Ingredients for Salad
  • 2 pounds jumbo Lump Dungeness crab meat
  • 1 pound cherry tomatoes (about 3-4 each person)
  • 1 pound mini cucumbers (1 small or ½ cucumber per person if bigger)
  • 4 avocados - 1/4 avocado per person
  • 1 cup crispy onions (garnish)
Instructions
  1. To make the vinaigrette, combine all the ingredients and set aside.
  2. To make the spicy mayo, combine all the ingredients and set aside.
  3. Place the crab in a small bowl with 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette and mix to combine.
Instructions for Building the Tower
  1. Put the 2 ½ inch ring mold in the center of the salad plate. Using a spoon, place the avocado in the bottom of each ring, then place the diced cucumber, followed by the cherry tomatoes. Top with a heaping amount of crab and gently push ingredients together. Lift the ring mold carefully so the tower stays together. Garnish with the crispy noodles.
  2. Drizzle with spicy mayo dressing.
Substitutions for Seafood Allergies
Vegan Seafood Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients
  • 1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can hearts of palm, drained, and rinsed
  • ½ shallot or small red onions, diced (about 2 tablespoon)
  • 1/3 cup vegan mayo (more if needed)
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon Old Bay
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste
  • Juice of ½ lime
  • Pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon of your favorite herb (cilantro)
Instructions
  1. In a food processor add the garbanzo beans and hearts of palm together. Pulse just a few times to shred it up. Don't pulse too many times or it will turn to mush. It should have a crab-like consistency. You can also do this manually, just use a fork or your hands to shred them up.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine mayo, old bay, lime juice, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add garbanzo bean/hearts of palm mixture, shallot and combine well. Taste for seasoning and add more if preferred.

Chef Maria Cummins

Born in Venezuela, Maria Cummins discovered her deep-rooted passion for food from an early age. Her culinary journey led her to Lima, Peru, where she immersed herself in the rich secrets of Peruvian gastronomy during part of her childhood. In her early twenties, she embarked on a new chapter by coming to the United States and delving into the Hospitality Industry in Boston, Massachusetts.

Maria's culinary adventure continued as she relocated to San Diego, California, where she made her mark by opening the renowned El Tucan Restaurant. Her extensive travels and diverse experiences greatly influenced her innovative culinary style, shaping the unique approach she is celebrated for today.

During her time in San Diego, Chef Maria not only honed her culinary skills but also gained a profound understanding of the importance of nutrition, particularly through the use of organic and unprocessed ingredients.

Today, Maria Cummins is the proud owner, founder, and head chef of the Real Food Academy, a culinary haven nestled in the vibrant city of Miami. Here, both kids and adults come together every week to share the joy of connecting through the power of Real Food and Real Fun!

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Rave Reviews for The Real Food Academy

proud to have a 4.9 star rating & 700+ reviews

  • Ted Matthews

    A great change of pace - learn a little, drink a little, eat a little.
  • Marcelo Gutierrez

    An excellent place, excellent atmosphere, my daughter had fun, the people who attend are wonderful, highly recommended the place
  • Eva Badia

    I have attended several cooking courses and I loved the experience. All recipes are designed by Chef Maria and her team to use healthy and fresh products, making all dishes delicious.
  • Eileen Kalin

    Wow!!! Such an incredible evening!!! Chef Maria was absolutely amazing!! Her knowledge of the best ingredients to create an amazing delicious and nutritious meal was so eye opening! Such a fun, festive and healthy culinary experience!! Don’t walk, run to the next cooking event at the Real Food Academy!!!!!!😊
  • Carrie Wilder

    Amazing evening! Loved Chef Tony, learned so much and had tons of fun
  • Salim Arkuch

    Great activity! Chef Toni is incredible. We learned, laughed, spent time together, cooked and ate great food.
  • acetato2

    Great food and great plan, thank you chef Toni
  • Gloria Restrepo

    Italian night with Paolo… great time and the best music!!!!
  • Kaori Mossad

    Thank you Paolo & Camila. Was an amazing experience 🤍🤍 We will be back!
  • Connie Kurth

    Awesome food, fun and laughter Thank you so very much
  • AJ Jessup

    Amazing team. They were flexible to our teams needs and Toni / Carmen provided an exceptional experience ! Grateful!
  • Peter Galli

    Had a great time!
  • Scott Daniel

    Chef Toni was awesome. Great experience. Highly recommend.
  • Walid H

    Great venue, great people and awesome party for my 8yo daughter… Chef Mia was awesome I would definitely recommend (and we’ll be back next year)
  • Tanisha Nelson

    Great staff, & food was delicious 😋
  • Sergio C

    An Amazing Culinary Experience at The Real Food Academy! I recently attended a cooking class at The Real Food Academy in Miami, and it was an absolutely fantastic experience! From the moment I arrived, the atmosphere was warm, inviting, and full of energy. The space is modern, well-equipped, and perfect for hands-on learning. The instructors are incredibly knowledgeable, patient, and passionate about healthy, delicious cooking. They made the entire process fun and engaging, breaking down each step so that everyone—whether a beginner or an experienced cook—could follow along with ease. The focus on fresh, wholesome ingredients made the experience even better, and I walked away with valuable cooking techniques that I can now use at home. One of the highlights was getting to enjoy the meal we created together—it was not only delicious but also proof that healthy food can be exciting and flavorful! Whether you're looking for a fun date night, a unique group activity, or just want to sharpen your cooking skills, The Real Food Academy is the perfect place. I highly recommend it and can’t wait to come back for another class!
  • Tricia Prince

    Amazing experience! Chef Toni, Chef Paulo, and the entire team were helpful and made it enjoyable for our group. Much appreciated and would do again!
  • Peaches

    Amazing experience…Chef Toni was an amazing chef/instructor.
  • Frank Betancurth

    Very cool experience. As an intermediate in cooking; it was great to still learn. I’m grateful they were able to accommodate my gluten free allergy. Chefs kiss 🤌🏻
  • Stephanie Montenegro

    Thank you chef toni and the rest of the team! We had an incredible time and really appreciated how accommodating you were for for our gluten allergy.

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Real Food FAQs

No. All Payments and Deposits are non-refundable: When a payment or deposit is made, that day and time is no longer available to other customers on our calendar. For that reason, all payments and deposits are non-refundable.

In the case of a cooking class, the ingredients are shopped for and prepped in advance. Staff is also scheduled according to the number of people on the roster.

See our Wine and Beer list for your in-house kids party options. Optionally, you can bring your own wine or beer and page a corkage fee.

Corkage Fees

  • $15 per 750 ml bottle of wine
  • $30 per 1.5 L bottle of wine

Bring outside beer: $40 for beer (any quantity)

We love it when our customers decorate our place. That said, you have no idea how difficult it is to clean these types of things up. As far as noisemakers go......you will be glad you left them at home as well. So please do not bring any of those things.

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