Columbia's 1905 Salad and Sangria with Motto Wine Recipe

I live in historic Ybor City, Tampa - home to the oldest continuously operated restaurant in Florida and the very famous 1905 salad. We live right down the street from the Columbia, in fact, you can see the restaurant from our balcony. While this is convenient, the restaurant is continuously busy. 

Columbia's 1905 Salad was named one of America's top 10 best salads by USA today. Columbia graciously put the 1905 salad recipe online and it is so easy that anyone could make it. I had a craving the other day for the salad and decided to attempt Paella. I couldn't have these two dishes without Columbia's Sangria, which recipe is also available online. This was a perfect meal which I will make again!

Columbia 1905 Salad
4 cups iceberg lettuce, broken into 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" pieces
1 ripe tomato, cut into eighths
1/2 cup baked ham, julienned 2" × ⅛" (may substitute turkey or shrimp)
1/2 cup Swiss cheese, julienne 2" × ⅛"
1/2 cup pimiento-stuffed green Spanish olives
“1905” Dressing (see recipe below)
1/4 cup Romano cheese, grated
2 tablespoons Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce®
1 lemon

Combine lettuce, tomato, ham, Swiss cheese, and olives in a large salad bowl. Before serving, add “1905” Dressing, Romano cheese, Worcestershire, and the juice of 1 lemon. Toss well and serve immediately. Makes 2 full salads or 4 side salads.

“1905” Dressing
1/2 cup extra-virgin Spanish olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
⅛ cup white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix olive oil, garlic, and oregano in a bowl with a wire whisk. Stir in vinegar, gradually beating to form an emulsion, and then season with salt and pepper. For best results, prepare 1 to 2 days in advance and refrigerate.

Columbia Sangria
Simple Syrup (see below)
1 orange
1 lime
1 375 ml bottle of Rioja Wine (I used Motto Red Blend)
1 ounce Torres 5 brandy (or substitute any Spanish brandy)
Splash of lemon-lime soda
Cherries for garnish

Simple Syrup Recipe
To make simple syrup, combine one part water to one part sugar in small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Chill before use.

Cut orange and lime in half. Fill large pitcher with ice and combine the wine, brandy, lemon-lime soda, the juice of half of an orange, and the juice of half of a lime. Stir. Add simple syrup to obtain desired sweetness. Slice remaining orange and lime into thin slices. Garnish glasses with orange, lime, and cherry.

Lobster Paella Recipe
I used a modified version of Tyler Florence Ultimate Paella recipe which you can find here. The only difference is that I used half the rice (4 cups was an awful lot for 2 people) and left the clams out.

Motto Wine is a  a new collection of wines from California. From keeping the wine lots separate throughout fermentation and aging, to determining the final blends right before bottling, the Motto winemaking team defies ordinary and makes it their motto. The resulting wines are dark and bold, yet fruit-forward. For more information visit www.MottoWines.com or facebook.com/MottoWines.

Motto retails for $15 and has three varietals available:
2013 Backbone Cabernet Sauvignon has a strong, determined flavor with dark, concentrated notes of red plum, caramel and bright raspberry that explode out of the glass for a lasting finish.
2013 Unabashed Zinfandel boasts proud and striking scents of soft leather, revealing flavors of chocolate covered raspberries and a touch of spice.
2013 Gung Ho Red Blend excites the palate quickly, full of zealous and enthusiastic fruitful flavors of blueberry, pomegranate and spice.