MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - COBB SALAD

Last week I didn’t make any new recipes but I found an old one to share. A bit jumbled up in the photo, but it was very tasty. It has been years since I published the original recipe. The link is no longer working and the website where I found it has disappeared. 

Cobb Salad

Serves 6

1 boneless and skinless chicken breast half
2 large eggs
3 slices turkey bacon
1 head romaine lettuce, stalk and tough out leaves removed and sliced crosswise into 3/4-inch wide
strips (about 6 cups)
1 cup chopped fresh watercress
3 tomatoes, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1-1/2 cups)
1/2 small ripe Hass avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1 ounce blue cheese, crumbled
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil.  Add chicken; cook at a bare simmer until it is cooked through, about 15 minutes.  Transfer to a plate and cut into 1/2-inch cubes; set aside.

Place eggs (still un racked and in their shells) in a small saucepan; fill with enough cold water to cover by 1 inch.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; turn off heat.  Cover; let stand 11 to 12 minutes.  Transfer to a small bowl and cover with cold water; let cool and peel.  Slice eggs in half lengthwise.  Discard one yolk and pass the other through a fine sieve into a small bowl; set aside.  Slice each egg white into six wedges; set aside.

Cook bacon in a medium sauté pan over medium-low heat until browned and fat is rendered, turning once, about 3 minutes per side.  Transfer to drain on paper towels.  Let cool; roughly chop.

Spread lettuce on a service platter.  Arrange chicken, eggs, bacon, watercress, tomatoes, avocado, parsley and chives in separate rows.

Make the vinaigrette: in a small bowl whisk together cheese, vinegar and mustard.  Slowly whisk in the oil.  Season with pepper.  Drizzle vinaigrette over salad and serve immediately.

(Chicken breast and turkey bacon was used for a leaner version of this salad.  If you prefer you can use roasted turkey breast instead of poached chicken.)

Added note: this is a great main dish salad and I thought it was excellent.  The dressing and I have used it on other salads.  Easy enough to do as it's one of the simplest I have made.  Instead of mixing the blue cheese in the dressing I sprinkled it over the salad instead.

I couldn't find watercress in our local supermarket. They had some really good baby butter lettuce which was a good substitute.

I didn't use the hard boiled eggs as one of us can't abide the smell of them cooking, texture or the taste.  It was easy enough to leave them off as there were plenty of other ingredients to enjoy. This is a great recipe for you to add your favorite veggies and replace the not so favorite ones.

Not strictly a Cobb Salad by the traditional sense but excellent and one that went into the make-again folder. 

Thanks for looking and 

wishing you all a great week ahead.