I would have NEVER in a million years guessed that one of my favorite salads, the Caesar salad, was actually invented in Tijuana, Mexico. Apparently, though, it was invented by Caesar Cardini, an Italian who emigrated to California and opened a restaurant in Mexico to avoid post-war Prohibition.
But he's not the only one who's serving up some pretty delicious greens the Latin way. From an actual Mexican take on a Caesar salad, to a Cuban green salad with avocados, a Valencian salad from Daisy Martinez, a rock shrimp Cobb salad (also with avocados, from one of my favorite Latina food bloggers, Always Order Dessert) and a raw kale and garbanzo salad (from my OTHER favorite Latina food blogger, Poor Girl Eats Well), we Latinos may not have our greens very often but when we do, MAN are the salads amazing! Enjoy these with your family.
Readmore ¿Qué más? 5 Latin-style sandwiches to bring with you on an airplane (RECIPES)
What's your favorite Latin salad? Share with us in the comments below!
Mexican Caesar Salad
Ingredients (for the salad): 2 heads romaine lettuce, washed and torn into bite-sized pieces (about 8 cups), 2 6-inch corn tortillas, 2 tbsp. vegetable oil, 3 cloves garlic (finely chopped), 1/3 cup queso fresco (crumbled or chopped, see recipe notes), Freshly ground black pepper. Ingredients (for the dressing): 1 small clove garlic (finely chopped), 2 tbsp. fresh cilantro (chopped), 2 scallions (sliced), 2 tbsp. pasteurized egg substitute, 2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice, 2 tsp. anchovy paste, 1/3 to 1/2 cup olive oil
Directions:
1. Place the romaine in a large salad bowl and set aside.
2. Cut the tortillas into 1/2-inch wide strips, then crosswise into 1-inch pieces. Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the tortilla pieces and fry until golden brown, tossing continually with a spatula to keep the garlic from browning. Remove from the heat and set aside.
3. To make the dressing, place the garlic, cilantro, scallions, pasteurized egg, lime juice and anchovy paste in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until combined. Add 1/3 cup of olive oil and process briefly until smooth and creamy, adding in the extra oil if the mixture is too thick.
4. To assemble the salad, toss the dressing with the lettuce. Top with the queso fresco, tortilla crisps and freshly ground black pepper. Toss again and serve immediately.
Recipe courtesy of My Gourmet Connection.
Cuban Green Salad with Avocados
Ingredients: 1/2 cup canola oil, 2 medium red onions (halved lengthwise and thinly sliced), 2/3 cup sherry vinegar, 3 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice, 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 4 medium ripe tomatoes (cut into sixths), 4 medium ripe avocados (halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into sixths), 1 head romaine lettuce torn into bite-size pieces, 1 head Bibb lettuce torn into bite-size pieces, 1 head Boston lettuce torn into bite-size pieces, 1 cup cooked black beans
Directions:
1. Heat 1/4 cup of the canola oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. When oil shimmers, add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and soft, about 10 minutes.
2. Add 1/3 cup of the sherry vinegar, and scrape up any browned bits that have adhered to the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
3. Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette. Combine remaining 1/3 cup sherry vinegar and lime juice in a medium nonreactive bowl, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. While constantly whisking, pour in remaining 1/4 cup canola oil and olive oil in a slow, thin stream until dressing is well combined; set aside.
4. To serve, combine cooled onions, tomatoes, avocados, lettuces, and black beans in a large bowl and toss. Add 3/4 of the vinaigrette and toss until greens are well coated. Taste, add more vinaigrette as desired, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Recipe courtesy of Chow.com.
Valencian Salad
Ingredients: 1 head romaine lettuce, 2 navel oranges, 1/4 cup white wine vinegar, 1 tbsp. honey, 1 tsp. fresh thyme (chopped), 3/4 cup olive oil, Kosher or fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, 1 medium red onion (cut in 1/2, then into 1/4-inch slivers), 1 cup kalamata, oil-cured, or Sicilian olives, pitted
Directions:
1. Discard any brown or wilted leaves from the romaine. Separate the head into individual leaves. Trim the thick center ribs from the romaine leaves, and tear the rest of the leaf into bite sized pieces. Wash and dry the lettuce, preferably in a salad spinner. The romaine may be cleaned up to a couple of hours before serving; refrigerate it in a serving bowl covered with a damp towel.
2. Cut the tops and bottoms off the oranges with a paring knife. Trim off the skin, removing as much of the white pith as possible. Remove the sections from between the membranes with a paring knife. Work over a medium bowl to catch any juice from the oranges. Set the orange segments aside in a small bowl.
3. Whisk the collected orange juice, vinegar, honey, and thyme together. Whisk in the olive oil in a thin stream until blended. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
4. Toss the lettuce, onion and olives together with the dressing in a serving bowl. Scatter the orange segments over the salad and serve.
Recipe courtesy of Daisy Martinez/Food Network.
Rock Shrimp Cobb Salad
Ingredients (for the salad): 4 strips center cut bacon, 1 lb. rock shrimp (peeled and deveined), Juice of 1 half lemon, 1 avocado (diced), 1 cup grape tomatoes (washed and dried), 1/4 cup of crumbled Gorgonzola cheese (optional), 5 cups baby arugula (can also use watercress, upland cress, chopped romaine, etc.). Ingredients (for the dressing): 1 cup plain Greek-style yogurt (such as Fage or Oikos), 2 tbsp. mayonnaise, 2 tsp. Dijon mustard (preferably creamy, not grainy), 1 tsp. lemon juice, 1 tsp. honey, 1 tsp. smoked Spanish paprika, 1/2 tsp. cayenne, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. onion powder, Freshly ground black pepper, Kosher salt
Directions:
1. Prepare the dressing: Whisk together all the dressing ingredients until fully combined. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as necessary. Set aside.
2. Fry bacon over medium heat in a heavy-bottom skillet until crisp throughout. Remove from the pan and let cool slightly before crumbling. Set aside, reserving the bacon fat.
3. Raise the heat to medium high and add the rock shrimp to the hot bacon fat. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes, until the shrimp are fully cooked and opaque. Add in the lemon juice and toss well to coat. Remove from the heat and let cool.
4. Assemble the salad: Fill a large bowl with the arugula. Arrange the shrimp, avocado, tomatoes, crumbled bacon, and Gorgonzola (if using) in single rows above the arugula. Serve with the dressing on the side. Just before eating, toss the salad with a 1/4 cup of the dressing, reserving the rest on the side for guests to serve themselves.
Recipe courtesy of Always Order Dessert.
Raw Kale & Garbanzo Salad with Spicy Citrus Vinaigrette
Ingredients (for the salad): 3 cups chopped fresh kale, 1 can of garbanzos (drained, or 1 1/2 cups cooked garbanzos, if you’ve cooked your own from dry beans), 1/2 medium carrot (sliced into thin discs), 1/3 cup sliced red onions. Ingredients (for the Spicy Citrus Vinaigrette): Juice of 2 large oranges, 1 tbsp. rice vinegar, 1 tbsp. olive oil, 1 tsp. honey, Generous pinch of salt, 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, Generous amount of ground black pepper
Directions:
1. In a small bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients until completely combined. Set aside.
2. In a larger bowl, combine the kale, garbanzo beans, onions and carrots. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss together until everything is completely coated. Serve immediately or if you prefer softer kale, allow to rest for about 10 minutes before enjoying. Serve as an entree or as a side, but most importantly, enjoy!
Recipe courtesy of Poor Girl Eats Well.
