Mr. Lake's New Orleans Forum

New Orleans-Style Italian Salad “Wop Salad”
Serves: 8

This dish is a longtime favorite on Creole-Italian menus across the city. It is an example of the use of, the term "wop" which could be considered an ethnic slur. However, nobody in New Orleans, least of all Italians, seemed to mind the term at least as applied to this dish, which would probably still be on restaurant menus under its old name if it weren't for out-of-towners who were kind enough to point out that this is, in fact, an ethnic slur.

Ingredients: Salad:

• 8 cups crisp lettuce of assorted types (should include romaine), torn into bite-sized pieces
• 2 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 1-2 cups muffuletta olive salad
• 8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 8 pepperoncini peppers
• 16 flat anchovies
• 8 large boiled shrimp, peeled
• 8 large white or green asparagus spears, steamed and chilled
• - freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Ingredients: Dressing:

• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon mixed Italian seasoning herbs
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Method:

1. Combine lettuces, olive salad, tomatoes and dressing in a large bowl, toss well.
2. Divide evenly on 8 salad plates.
3. On each plate, make an "x" with two anchovies on top of each mixed salad.
4. Top with one asparagus spear and a boiled shrimp.
5. Make sure each plate has some tomatoes and plenty of the vegetables (including a pepperoncini) from the olive salad.
6. Sprinkle with cheese and serve immediately.

Thanks, Frank! I like the addition of asparagus spears and cheese! Us Wops don't care what they call us, as long as they call us on time for dinner!

The shrimp addition is interesting. I've never had one with shrimp. But the Italian salad at R&O's really sounds like that. R&O's also puts celery in it; don't really like that.

Wow thats a lot of garlic, but no anchovies??

"• 16 flat anchovies"
The cloves of garlic are the "toes" not a "bulb". You do have rerfeshing breath afterward.
Also we only add shrimp on special occasions but the addition of asparagus spears is particularly tasty.

oh duh! I missed the anchovies. sowrey.

Great recipe. I love any thing topped up with cheese. Thanks!

Once I learned where "WOP" and "Dago" came from, I never understood why someone would take offense. At least they were working!