It's April, which means invitations to weddings, engagement parties, bridal luncheons, and baby showers are flooding my mailbox. Being the proper southern lady, I'm obligated to put on my pearls, brush my hair, and show up with a smile on my face and gift in my hand.
I may secretly be wanting to crawl out of the nearest window, but there is always one thing that keeps me coming back for more. That's good food, and lots of it. The ladies-who-lunch crowd don't mess around when it comes to hosting a swell party. Knorr's spinach dip, chicken salad sandwiches, and ambrosia are guaranteed to make an obligatory appearance. (Hey, no complaints here!)
One of my all-time favorites is the West Indies Salad. It's the ultimate ladies lunch. The zesty crab salad originated in Mobile, Alabama by Chef Bill Bayley in 1947. For years the recipe remained a well-guarded secret until it was later outed in a Mobile Junior League cookbook. Once revealed, the recipe's popularity down South spread like wildfire. And why not? It's light, make-ahead, and always a crowd-pleaser.
So whether you are entertaining for ten or two, I highly recommend this girly delight. Just don't forget the saltines! Served with a few mimosas? Well even I might start playing pin-a-tail-on-the-baby...
1 pound (16 ounces) fresh lump crabmeat
1 small sweet onion, chopped fine
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup ice cold water
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
Scatter half of the chopped onion in the bottom of a serving bowl. Add half of the crabmeat. Layer remaining onion followed by remaining crabmeat.
Combine canola oil, cider vinegar, salt, pepper, and cayenne and whisk thoroughly. Pour over the crabmeat and onion mixture, followed by the ice water. Press mixture down gently with a spoon. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
Serve on a pile of butter lettuce with saltine crackers. Garnish with sliced lemons and oranges, if desired.
Related: Recipe: Thai Crab Salad with Chili, Ginger, and Coconut
(Images: Nealey Dozier)
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This sounds delicous and a great idea for one of our cold dinner nights that we often have in the summertime. Thank you.
It does sound delicious. But it needs some color! Parsley, a little diced bell pepper, something...I know that probably goes against this kind of retro food, but still...
So true--sounds like a classic Southern lunch dish! I'm a big fan of the rice and seafood salads you see a lot in brunch/lunch/shower menus in the South stuffed into tomatoes or avocados. That's something my grandmother always did.....
So funny, I just posted about another Southern lady lunch special - Tomato Aspic. http://tinyurl.com/3q5u6xc
This is a common dish here in the West Indies, where I live... but it's made with saltfish. In addition to being served with crackers, it's also commonly found in pate, a fried dough filled with meat or veggies. Saltfish pate, chicken pate, etc. I see a lot of people eating that for breakfast. I've eaten my share of saltfish pate for breakfast.
I just attended a baby shower this past weekend and felt the exact same way. Got dolled up, came in with a gift and a smile but the entire time was wanting to be elsewhere.
The food wasn't even worth sticking around for, Little Ceasars Hot & Ready pizza, ritz crackers with cheese and meat for food and poorly bake chocolate things in cupcake holders and cosco water bottles or warm Jones soda for drinks.... I think the hostess wanted guests to cut out as soon as the gifts were finished!
I live within spitting distance of Mobile and can say that I've seen and eaten this same salad with almost every type of whitefish we can get our hands on; either out of laziness or finances. Also, similar to jayceetoo's pate, I've baked it the middle of rolls before.