J.L. Hudson’s Maurice Salad

This J.L. Hudson’s Maurice Salad is a beloved Detroit classic, featuring layers of ham, turkey, Swiss cheese, and crisp lettuce tossed in a tangy and slightly sweet homemade Maurice dressing. It’s a hearty and flavorful salad perfect for lunch or a light dinner.

Ingredients:

For the Dressing:

Ingredient	Quantity
Mayonnaise	1 cup
Lemon juice	1 ½ teaspoons
White vinegar	2 teaspoons
Yellow onion	1 ½ teaspoons
Granulated sugar	1 ½ teaspoons
Dijon mustard	1 ½ teaspoons
Mustard powder	¼ teaspoon
Fresh parsley	2 teaspoons
Hard-boiled egg	1
Kosher salt	To taste (added during blending)

For the Salad:

Ingredient	Quantity	Notes
Cooked ham	1 lb	Cut into strips
Turkey breast	1 lb	Cut into strips
Swiss cheese	1 lb	Cut into strips
Sweet gherkin pickles	½ cup	Sliced
Iceberg lettuce	1 head	Shredded
Pimento stuffed green olives	12
Kosher salt	To taste	For final seasoning
Freshly ground black pepper	To taste	For final seasoning

Instructions:

For the Dressing:

1. Blend Initial Ingredients: In a blender, combine the lemon juice, white vinegar, a pinch of kosher salt (about ¼ teaspoon), Dijon mustard, mustard powder, grated yellow onion, and granulated sugar.
2. Blend Until Sugar Dissolved: Blend the mixture until the sugar is completely dissolved and the dressing base is smooth.
3. Stir in Remaining Ingredients: Transfer the blended dressing base to a serving container or bowl. Stir in the chopped fresh parsley and the grated hard-boiled egg.
4. Fold in Mayonnaise: Gently fold in the mayonnaise until the dressing is well combined and creamy.
5. Chill: Cover the dressing and refrigerate it until you are ready to use it. The dressing can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

To Assemble the Salad:

1. Combine Salad Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded iceberg lettuce, the strips of cooked ham, the strips of turkey breast, the strips of Swiss cheese, and the sliced sweet gherkin pickles.
2. Add Dressing: Pour about 1 ½ cups of the prepared Maurice dressing over the salad ingredients. You may have some dressing leftover, depending on your preference.
3. Season and Toss: Season the salad to taste with additional kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss all the ingredients together gently but thoroughly until everything is well coated with the dressing.
4. Serve: Transfer the dressed salad to a serving platter or individual plates. Top the salad with the pimento-stuffed green olives. Serve immediately and enjoy this classic Detroit salad!