Packed with protein and loaded with flavor, Cobb salad tempts the senses and eats like a meal.
This colorful mix of greens, chicken, bacon, eggs, tomato, avocado, scallions, crumbled blue cheese and tangy vinaigrette has been satisfying hungry diners for years. Cobb salad was created in the 1930s at the legendary Brown Derby Restaurant in Hollywood, Calif., and variations of the traditional version are served today in restaurants throughout the country.
You can easily make this American classic in your own kitchen as a complete main course for lunch or dinner. The quick-to-prepare Cobb salad contains ingredients that are easily adjusted to suit individual tastes and availability of products.
You can even replace the chicken, bacon and eggs with soy products or extra vegetables for a vegetarian spin.
Bruce Mattel, associate professor in culinary arts at The Culinary Institute of America, suggests substituting a low-fat cheese for blue cheese, and turkey bacon for pork bacon to reduce calories and fat.
Don’t have chicken on hand? Try turkey, roast beef, ham or seafood; almost any protein provides a pleasing stand-in.
Experiment with the combination of flavors and textures to make your own version. If vinaigrette doesn’t tantalize your taste buds, use a sprinkling of lemon juice or a creamy dressing such as peppercorn ranch.
As long as the greens are cool and crisp, you can’t go wrong.
Whether you use romaine lettuce or a selection of mild and spicy salad greens, you may wish to save time by using packaged lettuces and salad blends. These precut greens are available at most markets. An added convenience for salad-making, packaged greens need only a swift rinse and a few turns in a salad spinner for proper drying. Water on the greens will dilute the flavor of the salad and prevent the dressing from coating the leaves completely.
Once greens are cleaned and dried, they can be refrigerated for up to two days. Store them in a shallow container, covered with a clean, damp cloth to keep them crisp.
Greens begin to wilt as soon as they are dressed, so toss the salad just before serving. Place the greens in a large bowl, and drizzle with a small amount of dressing. Use tongs, salad spoons or your hands to toss the salad gently in a lifting and rolling motion.
Top the lightly coated greens with your choice of Cobb salad-inspired ingredients and serve .
2pounds chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
2teaspoons salt, or to taste
1teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
1tablespoon vegetable oil
16bacon slices
1pound romaine lettuce, washed, dried and torn into pieces
1/2cup Cobb salad vinaigrette (recipe follows)
1 1/2cups diced tomatoes
2cups crumbled blue cheese
2avocados, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1/2cup scallions, sliced on bias
8eggs, hard-boiled, peeled and quartered
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat and saute the chicken breasts until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Place the pan in preheated oven and finish cooking the chicken to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Cool and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices on the bias.
Saute the bacon until it is crisp. Drain on paper towels and crumble into small pieces.
Toss the romaine with the vinaigrette and divide among eight plates. Top with five or six chicken slices, 3 tablespoons diced tomato, 1/4 cup blue cheese, avocado quarter, 1 tablespoon scallions, four hard-boiled egg quarters, and 2 tablespoons crumbled bacon.
Makes eight servings. Per serving: 520 cal., 47 g pro., 9 g carbo., 33 g fat, 1,410 mg sodium, 350 mg chol., 4 g fiber.
1/4cup water
6tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2teaspoon sugar
21/2teaspoons lemon juice
11/4teaspoons salt or to taste
1/2teaspoon ground black pepper or to taste
1/2teaspoon coarse grain mustard
2garlic cloves, minced
11/4cups extra-virgin olive oil
Blend all the ingredients except for the olive oil. Allow the flavors to marry for 5 minutes. Add the olive oil and whisk thoroughly. It may be necessary to blend the dressing again before serving.
Makes 2 cups. Per tablespoon: 90 cal., 0 g pro., 2 g carbo., 9 g fat, 90 mg sodium, 0 mg chol., 0 g fiber.
From the Culinary Institute of America’s “Gourmet Meals in Minutes”
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