- 3 jarred roasted red peppers, drained
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (eyeball it)
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), eyeball it
- 12 ounces fresh lump crabmeat (from the seafood counter)
- 2 teaspoons seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay
- 2 celery ribs from the heart, finely chopped
- 2 sprigs tarragon, leaves stripped from stems and chopped
- 3 scallions, finely chopped
- 4 sandwich-size English muffins, split
- Unsalted butter, softened, for buttering
- 2 cups watercress, chopped
- 2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese
- Place the peppers in the bowl of a food processor and season with salt and pepper. Add the lemon juice and hot sauce, then put the lid in place and turn on the processor. Add the EVOO in a thin stream and process until smooth.
- Preheat the broiler. Using your fingers, check the crabmeat for pieces of shell. In a medium bowl, combine the crab and seafood seasoning. Add the celery, tarragon and scallions to the crab and toss with the red pepper dressing; adjust the seasoning to taste.
- Toast the English muffins under the hot broiler, then lightly butter them. Top each with a small handful of watercress, then with a scoop of the crab salad. Pat down the salad a bit, then top with a handful of cheese and return to the broiler to melt the cheese, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove and serve immediately.