West Indies Salad

A regional classic from the Alabama Gulf Coast, West Indies salad is a unique dish. Made of onions and crab macerated overnight in a strong vinaigrette and served cold, it’s a delicious and elegant light lunch or first course. The rich crab meat and sharp vinegar are perfect complements, and as this version leans a little less heavy on the vinegar, they create a precise balance that tastes and feels luxurious and fresh.

Ingredients

1 cup apple cider vinegar    

1/4 cup grapeseed oil  

1/4       cup tightly packed mint leaves     

1/4 cup walnut oil       

2 teaspoons fleur de sel, plus more for sprinkling

1/2       teaspoon freshly ground black pepper  

1                white onion, quartered and thinly sliced       

1       pound jumbo lump crab meat, drained and gently picked over       

1 1/2 cups     ice cold water 

Method

1. Combine the vinegar and grapeseed oil in a small saucepan and gently warm over low heat. Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the mint, and steep for 30 minutes.             

2. Strain the contents into a medium-sized bowl using a mesh strainer and discard the mint. Whisk in the walnut oil, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate the vinaigrette until cold, about 30 minutes.                   

3. Spread half the onions across a wide-bottomed bowl, add the crab next, and finally the remaining onions, sprinkling salt on each layer.            

4. Pour the vinaigrette over the layered onions and crab. Add 1 cup of the ice water and gently press so that the liquid just covers the top layer of onions. If more liquid is needed, add the remaining ice water a little at a time.                   

5. Cover and refrigerate overnight.                   

6. Gently toss the salad prior to serving.

Notes For West Indies Salad

• Here, we’ve paired our West Indies salad with avocado, but it’s wonderful on water crackers or Saltines, over lettuce, or with a thick, salted tomato slice.

• And don’t shy away because of the addition of the non-traditional walnut oil. The salad does not taste like walnuts, but the oil does bring out the flavor of the crab, which helps promote its richness when paired with strong ingredient like vinegar.

• Grapeseed oil and walnut oil are available in most grocery stores and on Amazon. We recommend the La Tourangelle brand.