Columbia Restaurant’s Original “1905” Salad
Columbia Restaurant in the Tampa area’s historic Ybor City no doubt qualifies as mass production: 1,700 seats in 15 dining rooms that together span a full city block, making it the biggest Spanish restaurant in the world–including, you know, Spain. At least 1,000 people show up daily, and on weekends the place is bursting. The “1905” salad is a citywide obsession.
1/2 head of iceberg lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
2 ripe tomatoes, each cut into 8 wedges
1/2 cup thin strips of Swiss cheese (2 ounces)
1/2 cup thin strips of ham (2 ounces)
1/4 cup pitted green Spanish olives
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, preferably Spanish
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons grated pecorino Romano cheese
- In a large bowl, toss together the lettuce, tomatoes, Swiss cheese, ham and olives.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, oregano and Worcestershire sauce. Gradually whisk in the olive oil, continually beating to form an emulsion. Stir in the vinegar and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Add the pecorino, toss and serve.