If I come visit, will you make that salad for me?
Sounds wonderful!!

I am a cook in a restaurant. My boss who makes 3 salads a weekend for on the salad bar is always looking for new recipes. I will give this to her she just got a case of frozen crab meat in. Do youu think that will work or is that what you mean?

I found this, bengardening: If you can get it, I definitely suggest using fresh lump crabmeat if you can. That's impossible? Frozen, well drained crabmeat works great, too.

The most IP thing is following the recipe exactly with the ice cold water.

So my thinking if you do use frozen, make sure it is well drained. Maybe do a test taste before you serve it at the restaurant.

I paid $16, today, for what was at least 1/2 cup with 10 soda crackers, cherry tomato halves and cucumber swirls.

It is so good! Good stuff!

First time I had it was at a cocktail party I had, in the 60's and it was the first to go.

Saltines crackers, do not substitute.

ty Glenda we will try it and let you know

I'm gonna make it tonight. Just need to get crabmeat-two stores near me sell fresh.

That's a nice picture. Did you take it?

jannie, I meant to add, that mine was served with a wedge of lemon, but I didn't use it. Tastes too good without lemon.

Let us know how you enjoyed. Hope you ate it with just saltines.
Picture was at the recipe site. And I did not download it either. shame shame

Never heard of it, but sounds good! Bet my SIL in Spanish Fort/Daphne would know of it.

I'm gonna make it tonight. Just need to get crabmeat-two stores near me sell fresh.

Sorry for the double post. I went to the store, got the crabmeat and assembled the salad. Will have it tonight with spaghetti and meatballs.

I'm pretty sure she borrowed that picture because I've seen it before and I don't think it was one she posted.

It's pretty well known salad in the southern states and especially the gulf states. I have eaten it numerous times in Florida but you can get it most anywhere around the Gulf and LA and Florida has it in lots of eatery's........I used to eat it at the old Turtle Creek Country Club in San Antionio TX.

Here is a link that might be useful: Here's a pretty good story line abot the salad.

{{!gwi}}
William "Bill" Bayley is credited with starting a dining craze that swept the Gulf Coast with such dishes as West Indies Salad and fried crab claws.

Bayley�s Restaurant at Fowl River Road and Dauphin Island Parkway, where he introduced his acclaimed West Indies Salad and fried crab claws, was a Gulf Coast fixture from its founding in 1947 until its closing in 1986. His son reopened it in 1993 at the intersection dubbed Bayley�s Corner.

Bayley�s famous dishes spread throughout the South and the nation and he won recognition from Mobile to California. He made quite an impact on restaurants along the Gulf Coast and on tourism. If you came to Mobile, you went to Bayley�s to eat. Bayley�s catering took him all over the country, and the dishes he created � West Indies Salad and fried crab claws � spread in popularity,

Bayley�s simple but unique concoctions were tasty enough that whenever Alabama�s representatives or senators in Washington were planning parties, they didn�t want anyone to cater them but Bill Bayley.

A native of Alvin, Texas, Bayley grew up in Massena, New York. He had lived in Mobile County since 1942 and operated restaurants at Bayley�s Corner and Mobile�s airport.

Bayley served in the U.S. Merchant Marine as a steward. He was also port steward and later chief chef with Alcoa Steamship Co. Inc. for fifteen years. It was on his many voyages to the West Indies that he invented his famous salad.

After World War II, Bayley and his wife, Ethel Peterson Bayley, opened the one-room grocery in 1946 with $500 worth of groceries bought on credit. A year later, they opened the restaurant, leaving the grocery business behind.i

West Indies Salad

1 lb. Lump Crab meat
1 Finely Chopped onion
1 x Salt and pepper to taste
4 oz. Olive oil
3 oz. Vinegar
4 oz. Ice water

West Indies Salad Instructions:

Put onions in bowl; add meat, salt, and pepper. Then oil, vinegar, and ice water in that order, Do not stir.
Cover, let set in ice box (refrigerator) at least 4 hours and toss before serving.

I made it, used crushed ice instead of ice water. Marinated in the fridge about 3 hours. Came out too vinegary for my tastes. If I make again, I'd use less vinegar,more oil and maybe some sugar. I used red onions, which I generally like,but not in this. But overall, I am glad I made it. The crabmeat was quite good.And it made so much I didn't even want the spaghetti and meatballs. I'll have that tomorrow.

How long did you let it sit before you stirred it?

Sorry yours was too vinegary.

I've never had a vinegary taste.

You can use a less acidic vinegar .I never use cider vinegar...

Plus the longer it sits the better.

I let it sit only 3 hours-I was impatient to try it, and I did use AC vinegar. Maybe wine vinegar would have been better...

Please no wine vinegar. It will kill the taste.