Columbia Restaurant's 1905 Salad

The Columbia Restaurant is a Spanish restaurant with (at the time of this writing) seven locations in the state of Florida. The original opened in the Ybor City district of Tampa in 1905. I would highly recommend a visit to one of their restaurants if you find yourself in Tampa, Sarasota, Orlando (right near Disney) or St. Augustine. They've been kind enough to share the recipe for their signature salad, the "1905," on their website and it's a recipe that I've adapted just a little and whip up when I want a quick, light meal.

For the salad ~
6 cups romaine or iceberg lettuce (or a combination)
2 ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into eighths
1/2 cup Swiss cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
3/4 cup ham, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/4 cup pitted green olives, chopped
For the dressing ~
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation ~
Toss all the salad ingredients together in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, oregano, Worcestershire, vinegar and lemon juice. Gradually whisk in the olive oil to form an emulsion. Add dressing to salad and toss well. Season with salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle with the grated Parmesan and serve.

Serves 2 for dinner

Recipe Notes ~
Try serving this salad with slices of fresh Cuban or Italian bread and butter and a glass of Pinot Noir.