CTCA Chef Kenny Wagoner's delightful summer recipe for Southwestern Crab Salad

July 6, 1:20 PMOrganic Food ExaminerNatalie Rotunda

Spend a little time preparing this summer-delicious recipe from Cancer Treatment Centers of America Chef Kenny Wagoner., then pack leftovers, if there are any, for a lunch treat the next day.

Tomatillos (toe-ma-TEE-o) are just as versatile as their cousin, the tomato. Cook them, as you do here, or roast or sauté them. They’ll lose a little of their acidic taste and the flavor will be sweeter. Kept in a paper bag in the fridge, tomatillos wearing their husks will keep up to two weeks. De-husked, they' last up to four weeks if they're stored in the fridge in a plastic bag. If you like mildly tart veggies, you may want to give into the temptation to eat a tomatillo raw. They're a good source of Vitamin C. Aztecs were raising tomatillos, new to some of us, as long ago as 800 B.C.

Southwestern Crab Salad with Tomatillo Salsa and Yellow Pepper Puree
1# jumbo lump crabmeat, picked
4 oz corn, sautéed
1 1/2 avocado, peeled and diced
4 oz fresh mango, peeled and diced
4 oz spicy turkey sausage, diced and sautéed
4 oz Monterey Jack cheese
2 oz mayonnaise
1 oz Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice
1 oz chopped cilantro

Prep: Mix all ingredients well and taste for flavor. Chill for an hour in refrigerator

Yellow Pepper Sauce
2 yellow peppers, diced
3 cups chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste

Prep: Bring peppers to boil, when soft, puree and strain to remove pulp. Taste for flavor

Tomatillo Salsa:
2# tomatillo, husks removed.
4 oz red onion, diced
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 oz chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
3 cups chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste
.
Prep: Bring all ingredients to boil. Puree and strain. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Chef Kenny Wagoner is executive chef at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) in Tulsa, Oklahoma. CTCA provides a comprehensive, patient-centered treatment model that fully integrates traditional, state-of-the-art medical treatments with scientifically supported complementary therapies such as nutrition, naturopathic medicine, psychological counseling, physical therapy and spiritual support to meet the special, whole-person needs of patients with advanced and complex cancer.