the original Detroit J.L.Hudson department store Maurice salad
The official food of Motown might be a coney dog, or a square, Sicilian-style pizza. Detroit’s favorite pop is definitely Faygo … or is it Vernors?
The J.L. Hudson Maurice salad — with crisp iceberg lettuce, julienned ham, turkey or chicken, Swiss cheese, gherkins and a creamy, mayo-based dressings — is also a longstanding signature dish this region. Many remember it being a highlight on the menu at restaurants inside Hudson’s department stores.
The “Maurice salad” itself is not exclusively a Detroit thing, but its origins aren’t clear. According to a Chicago newspaper, it was invented by French chef P.A. Maurice who worked in the Netherland Plaza in New York City in the early 20th century. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports it originated there at the William Penn Hotel when a man with the first name Maurice asked for a salad with julienned ham, turkey breast, Swiss, tomatoes, egg and mayo dressing.
Besides at Hudson’s, a “Maurice salad” was served in Detroit at the tea room inside Crowley’s Detroit department store in the 1940s and later at the London Chop House in the 1960s.
Locally, the salad is synonymous with the former department store, and dozens of area restaurants still have a version of “Hudson’s Maurice” on their menu. The classic preparation that many think of is mentioned above, but variations include mixed greens or romaine instead of iceberg and the addition of green olive, hard-boiled egg, tomatoes and sometimes cucumbers.
Keep in mind the key ingredient to this popular Detroit salad is obviously the dressing. Every once in a while you can still find a bottle to buy if you’re lucky, but it might be more rewarding and impressive for you to make the dressing on your own. We grabbed this Detroit Free Press test kitchen approved recipe from the official Marshall Field’s Cookbook. (Hudson’s was re-branded as Marshall Fields in 2000)
Read More: The Detroit Favorite Hudson’s Maurice Salad Recipe for Your 4th of July | https://wcrz.com/the-detroit-favorite-hudsons-maurice-salad-recipe-for-your-4th-of-july/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral
Ingredients
■ 2 teaspoons white vinegar
■ 1½ teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
■ 1½ teaspoons onion juice
■ 1½ teaspoons sugar
■ 1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
■ ¼ teaspoon dry mustard
■ 1 cup mayonnaise, reduced-fat or regular
■ 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
■ 1 hard-cooked egg, diced
■ Salt and freshly ground black pepper
■ 1 pound ham, julienned
■ 1 pound cooked turkey breast, julienned
■ 1 pound Swiss cheese, julienned
■ ½ cup slivered sweet gherkin pickles
■ 1 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
■ 8-12 pimiento-stuffed green olives for garnish (optional)
Directions
To prepare the dressing, in a small bowl combine the vinegar, lemon juice, onion juice, sugar, Dijon and dry mustard; whisk well to dissolve the sugar.
Whisk in the mayonnaise, parsley and egg, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
In a large bowl, combine the ham, turkey, cheese and pickles and toss lightly. Pour the dressing over the salad and gently fold together.
Arrange a bed of lettuce on each plate. Top with the meat and cheese mixture and garnish each serving with 2 olives and serve.
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