The 1905 Columbia Salad is a classic Spanish-American dish from Columbia Restaurant in Florida, featuring iceberg lettuce, baked ham, Swiss cheese, green olives, and a homemade garlic-oregano vinaigrette traditionally assembled tableside. Its standout trait is the final tableside toss with dressing, Romano cheese, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce, which maximizes flavor and creates an interactive dining experience.
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Combine lettuce, tomato, ham, Swiss cheese and olives in a large salad bowl.
Before serving, add dressing, Romano cheese, Worcestershire sauce and juice of 1 lemon.
Toss well and serve immediately.
For the '1905' Dressing: Mix olive oil, garlic and oregano in a bowl. Stir in vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
NOTE: Although the Columbia Restaurant recipe suggests making the dressing a day or two before and refrigerating it, this can be more difficult to serve. The Columbia Restaurant adds the dressing, Romano cheese, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce to the salad at the table, which adds to the experience.
Written automatically by CookOS, not by the creator.
Store prepared lettuce and vegetable components in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator up to 1 day; dressing keeps refrigerated up to 3 days. Do not assemble the salad until immediately before serving.
Written automatically by CookOS, not by the creator.
Yes, the Columbia Restaurant recipe suggests making it a day or two before and refrigerating it, though tableside mixing and serving delivers better results and is part of the authentic experience.
Worcestershire sauce adds umami depth and a tangy, savory note to the vinaigrette, balancing the acidity of the lemon and vinegar.
Yes, chop and prep the lettuce, tomato, ham, cheese, and olives ahead and refrigerate separately. Toss with the dressing, Romano cheese, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce only immediately before serving to prevent wilting.
Use quality baked ham cut into thin julienne strips (2" × 1/8"). Deli or smoked ham varieties work well; avoid thin-sliced packaged ham, which won't hold its shape.
You can use Castelvetrano olives or Manzanilla olives as milder alternatives, though the slightly briny Spanish olives are traditional. Avoid pitted olives if you prefer whole olives for texture.
