Original Cobb Salad
The Cobb salad is a main-dish garden salad made from chopped salad greens (iceberg lettuce, watercress, endives, and Romaine lettuce), tomato, crisp bacon, boiled or roasted chicken breast, hard-boiled egg, avocado, chives, red-wine vinaigrette and Roquefort cheese.
The salad was invented in the 1930s at the Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant, where it became a signature dish. It is named for the restaurant's owner, Robert Howard Cobb. Stories vary as to whether the salad was invented by Cobb or by his chef, Chuck Wilson. The legend is that Cobb had not eaten near midnight, and so he mixed together leftovers he found in the kitchen, along with some bacon cooked by the line cook, and tossed it with their French dressing.
Variations of the salad are served in restaurants worldwide. A good vegetarian version could be made without the chicken and bacon.
Salad Greens Base:
1/2 head lettuce, about 4 cups
1 bunch watercress (half used for garnish)
1 small bunch chicory, about 2 1/2 cups
1/2 head romaine, about 2 1/2 cups
Toppings:
2 medium peeled tomatoes
6 strips of crisp bacon
2 breasts of boiled chicken
3 hard cooked eggs
1 avocado
1/2 cup crumbled Roquefort cheese
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1 cup (approximately) Original Cobb Salad Dressing (recipe below)
Cut lettuce, half the watercress, chicory and romaine in fine pieces and arrange in a large salad bowl.
Cut tomatoes, bacon, chicken, eggs, and avocado [toss avocado with a little lemon juice so it doesn't brown] in small pieces and arrange, along with the crumbled Roquefort cheese, in strips on the greens. The order of the toppings in the picture are bacon on one edge, then Roquefort cheese, eggs, tomatoes, chicken, and finally avocado.
Sprinkle finely cut chives over the Cobb salad and garnish with the remaining watercress.
Just before serving mix the salad with the Cobb salad dressing. [Or serve the salad as is, letting each person chose the mixture they want, and pass the dressing on the side.]
Original Cobb Salad Dressing
(1/4 cup water, optional - see note below)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon dry English mustard
1 small clove garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup full-flavored olive oil
3/4 cup salad oil
Blend all ingredients together, except oils. Add olive and salad oils. Mix well.
Blend well again before mixing with salad.
Makes 1 1/2 cups
A note from the Brown Derby: "The water is optional, depending upon the degree of oiliness desired in the dressing."
