Classic Cobb Salad

By acampman

Cobb salad was created at the Brown Derby Restaurant in Hollywood. One night in 1937, Bob Cobb, then owner of The Brown Derby, prowled hungrily in his restaurant's kitchen for a snack. Opening the huge refrigerator, he pulled out this and that: a head of lettuce, an avocado, some romaine, watercress, tomatoes, some cold breast of chicken, a hard-boiled egg, chives, cheese and some old-fashioned French dressing. He started chopping. Added some crisp bacon -- swiped from a busy chef.

The Cobb salad was born. It was so good, Sid Grauman (Grauman's Chinese Theatre), who was with Cobb that midnight, asked the next day for a 'Cobb Salad.' It was so good that it was put on the menu.

Cobb's midnight invention became an overnight sensation with Derby customers, people like movie mogul Jack Warner, who regularly dispatched his chauffeur to pick up a carton of the salad.

Ingredients

• Vinaigrette:
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Salad:
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 6 ounces each), trimmed of excess fat salt and ground black pepper
• 1 large head romaine lettuce, washed, dried, and torn into bite-size pieces (about 8 cups)
• 1 bunch watercress (about 4 ounces), washed, dried, and stemmed (about 4 cups)
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, preferably grape tomatoes (about 10 oz) each tomato halved
• 3 hard boiled eggs, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 2 medium, ripe avocados, preferably Hass, pitted and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 8 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4 inch pieces, fried in a medium skillet over medium heat until crisp about 7 minutes and drained on a paper towel-lined plate
• 2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)
• 3 tbsp minced fresh chives

Details

Servings 8

Preparation

Step 1

For the vinaigrette: whisk all the ingredients together in a medium bowl until well combined (alternatively, shake vigorously in a tight-lidded jar); set aside. (the dressing may be refrigerated in an airtight container for 1 day; bring to room temperature and shake well before using.). For the salad: meanwhile, season the chicken with salt and pepper. Adjust an oven rack to 6 inches from the broiler element; heat the broiler. Spray the broiler pan top with vegetable cooking spray; place the chicken breasts on top and broil until lightly browned, 4 to 8 minutes. Using tongs flip the chicken over and continue to broil until the thickest part is no longer pink when cut into (6-8 minutes). When cool enugh to handle, cut the chicken into 1/2 inch cubes and set aside.
TO FINISH THE SALAD:
Toss the romaine and watercress with 5 tablespoons of the vinaigrette in a large bowl until coated; arrange on a very large, flat serving platter. Place the chicken in the now-empty bowl, add 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette, and toss to coat; arrange in a row along one edge of the greens. Place tomatoes in the bowl, add 1 T vinaigrette and toss. Arrange on plate, add rows od other ingredients and dress with vinigairette.