Classic Cobb Salad Recipes

Steps:

• Cook the bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring, until crisp, 15 to 20 minutes; transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Meanwhile, place the eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water by about 1 inch. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then cover, remove from the heat and let stand, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, then run under cold water to cool. Peel under cold running water. Chop the hard-cooked eggs and season with salt.
• Combine the chicken, lemon zest and juice, bay leaves, thyme, peppercorns and a large pinch of salt in a medium saucepan; add enough cold water to cover the chicken by 1/2 inch. Bring to a bare simmer over medium heat (do not boil) and cook until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 160 degrees F, about 7 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the dressing: Whisk the vinegar, shallot, mustard and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a serving bowl. Whisk in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream until emulsified; season with pepper. Dice the chicken and toss with 1 tablespoon of the dressing in a separate bowl.
• Halve, pit and dice the avocados. Season the tomatoes with salt. Add the Bibb and romaine lettuce to the serving bowl on top of the dressing. Arrange the bacon, hard-cooked eggs, chicken, avocados, tomatoes and blue cheese in rows on top of the lettuce. When ready to serve, toss the salad and season with salt and pepper.

Steps:

• For the blue cheese dressing: Pour the dressing, vinegar, Worcestershire and salt into a 16- to 20-ounce mason jar and mix well with a fork.
• For the salad: Layer in the ham, avocado, tomato, bacon, egg, blue cheese and lettuce, then top with the lid and chill until ready to serve.

Steps:

• For vinaigrette: Whisk ingredients in bowl until well combined, then set aside.
• For eggs: Place in saucepan, cover with water, bring to boil over high heat; remove pan from heat, cover, and let stand for 10 minutes. Transfer eggs to bowl filled with ice water, let stand 5 minutes, then peel, cut into 1/2 inch cubes and set aside.
• For chicken: Season with salt and pepper. Broil until lightly browned, 4 to 8 minutes, then flip chicken over and continue to broil until thickest part is no longer pink. When cool enough to handle, cut chicken into 1/2-inch cubes.
• To finish salad: Toss romaine and watercress with 5 tablespoons vinaigrette in large bowl until coated, then arrange over very large, flat serving platter. Place chicken in now-empty bowl, add 1/4 cup vinaigrette, toss to coat; arrange in a row along one edge of greens.
• Place tomatoes in now empty bowl, add 1 tablespoon vinaigrette and toss gently to combine; arrange on opposite edge of greens. Arrange reserved eggs and avocados in separate rows near center of greens and drizzle with remaining vinaigrette.
• Sprinkle bacon, cheese and chives evenly over salad and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Place greens in bowl. Arrange all other ingredients attractively across greens. Add dressing when ready to serve.
• Whip eggs vigorously until yolks turn pale yellow. Slowly incorporate oil to form an emulsion. Add remaining ingredients and season with salt and pepper.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients and set aside.
• Slice the ham into 1/2-inch strips. Spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and preheat over a medium-high heat. Add the ham to the skillet and cook over stirring frequently, until the ham is warmed through and crisped, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Remove and discard the yolk from 1 of the hard boiled eggs. Chop the remaining egg white and whole egg and set aside.
• In a large bowl toss the romaine and watercress with 2/3 of the dressing. Put the dressed greens onto a large serving dish. Place the tomatoes on top forming a row down the middle. In strips on either side of the tomatoes place the avocado, chicken, cheese, diced egg, and the crisped ham on top of the greens. Drizzle with the remaining dressing and serve.

Steps:

• Arrange salad greens on large serving platter.
• Place next 6 ingredients in even rows on top of greens.
• Drizzle with dressing just before serving; toss lightly.

Steps:

• Toss avocados with lemon juice; place in large bowl.
• Add all remaining ingredients except dressing; mix lightly.
• Spoon onto salad plates; drizzle with dressing.

Steps:

• Now I am sure most of you know how Cobb salads are put together. And most of us have had them at some point. A lettuce base and then stripes of the different ingredients layered over the top of the salad. A creamy blue cheese or sometimes a vinaigrette and "Cobb Salad." I have had probably 5 versions, all claiming to be traditional, but if you go back to the traditional Brown Derby Recipe -- that is classic. So this is my semi classic flavors with a twist.
• Bacon -- I like to cook my bacon right in the microwave. Just place the bacon on a paper plate or microwavable plate and top with a paper towel, then 4-6 slices of bacon, then another paper towel, then 4-6 slices of bacon, then another paper towel. Now I make up to 3 layers at a time -- but always top with a paper towel. Takes 1 layer about 3 minutes; 2 layers about 4; and 3 layers about 6 minutes. No clean up. Now you can always bake it or pan saute if you prefer, but use good quality smokey or hickory turkey bacon. Cook until crisp and then remove to a plate to let cool. Then chop into small bits.
• Base -- Chopped mixed greens and mixed with the shallots and put on each plate as the base. Or you can use a small serving bowl which works well too. I sometimes like to top with just a little salt and pepper.
• Dressing -- Mix the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, orange juice, garlic, mustard, thyme, salt and pepper, and capers in a small bowl or measuring cup and set to the side.
• Layers -- Start right to left or left to right. Who cares? This is just layers the vegetables like little stripes on top of the salad. My ideal version -- I start with egg, then tomato, a little seafood, then avocado, then bacon, then mango, seafood, and finish with tomato. Very simple. If you have one vegetable or fruit that is more than the other, don't worry, just make an extra stripe. It doesn't matter on the order or ingredients. Just add it to the salad as you like. If you like more tomato, by all means, more avocado, go ahead. No mango, don't worry, try papaya or peaches. These are just my favorites.
• Dressing and Topping -- Now, top with with walnuts, gorgonzola cheese and top with the dressing. That is it! It is an amazing salad. Elegant, worthy of a dinner party, but still great for a weekend dinner. Make the same recipe to make 4 small salads or cut in half to make just 2.
• I cut the recipe in half all the time to make it just for me and my SO. I like to make 2 small salads and then serve with a big bowl of warm creamy roasted tomato soup (usually from the freezer), a nice slice of baguette (also from the freezer), and you have an amazing dinner!
• I pulled up a local restaurant and for a Cobb Salad with a cup of soup and bread stick they charged $18 and that was just chicken. I will guarantee you that you will make 4 giant salads with seafood NOT chicken and it will cost you about the same as 1 for lunch. It is a great salad. ENJOY!

Steps:

• Place eggs in a saucepan and cover completely with cold water. Bring water to a boil. Cover, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop.
• Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
• Divide shredded lettuce among individual plates.
• Evenly divide and arrange chicken, eggs, tomatoes, blue cheese, bacon, avocado and green onions in a row on top of the lettuce.
• Drizzle with your favorite dressing and enjoy.