Sunday, May 15, 2011

Cobb Salad, discovered


While generally I don't consider using recipes for salads--who needs to be told how many radishes they like or what type of lettuce they prefer?--once in a blue moon, I'll do it.

Such an occasion arose last Sunday, which you may recall was Mother's Day. While considering what to make for the celebratory lunch, I contemplated and nixed a variety of ideas: a savory tart; a light-ish seafood pasta; a creamy soup with some kind of fancy sandwich.

None of these seemed quite right, and as I dithered about what to make and the hours slipped away, I eventually came across this appealing recipe for Cobb Salad over at Smitten Kitchen.

Since I'd already determined the lunch would include dessert (the so-so strawberry shortcake), I wanted an entree that was satisfying but not heavy. We had the rest of the afternoon to soldier through, after all, during which I planned on torturing my mother with hundreds of photographs from our trip. I wanted an alert audience! (For the record, she sat through them patiently, even asking questions and oohing and aahing at all the right moments. What a mom!)

Cobb Salad was just the ticket. And while I've eaten many in my lifetime, I've never made one. Turns out they are spectacularly easy, though do require a number of steps and quite a bit of chopping.

I made a few minor adjustments: adding more lemon juice to the vinaigrette (my taste nearly always runs to the bitter or sour; I hate to think what this might say about my personality?); and ditching the watercress for some green leaf lettuce I had on hand (watercress would have been excellent, but I'd already purchased two kinds of lettuce for this salad, and for some reason, this was my self-imposed limit).

Although the original recipe called for serving the salad in one magnificent bowl, I knew this was not the way I would want to be served a main-course salad. I imagined all of us trying to delicately serve ourselves while trying to ensure we got some of everything. Meanwhile, I envisioned wasted crumbles of blue cheese and bacon bits overflowing onto the tablecloth. Instead, I opted to dress all the greens together, then dish up the salads separately, with the toppings arranged on each one as artfully as I could manage. I brought extra dressing to the table, which we all used.

I have to say, the salad was an indisputable hit. Quality ingredients make the difference, of course, since there's little skill involved in assembly. I had just roasted a chicken the day before was able to use that rather than a simple poached breast (which I would have done otherwise but would not have been nearly as flavorful), we had a perfectly ripe avocado on hand from our CSA box, and the husband had chosen a heavenly blue cheese from Marin.  With crusty bread and glasses of Prosecco,  it was a lunch more than worth the (minimal) effort.

19 comments:

  1. now that is truly gorgeous! I love composed salads, and am especially fond of chopped salads, because taking a knife to your salad is absurd, and I hate trying to bite my way through an entire leaf of lettuce. Sounds like a really nice lunch

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  2. Your cobb salad looked exactly delicious and as beautiful as your photos! And it was crisp and full of complementary flavors. With Prosecco to cleanse the palate! What mother could ask for more? Yes, strawberry shortcake and a travelogue! MOM

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  3. It looks colourful and filling. My kind of salad. I love avocados and chicken together. Btw, my taste also runs towards the sour, not quite bitter though.

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  4. That's a beauty of a salad! I had my first Cobb in San Francisco back in the 50's. Loved it ever since.
    A restaurant here in town makes a divine lobster cobb. Now I'm hungry.

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  5. foodhoe: Thanks! I agree, battling with a gigantic lettuce leaf is no good.

    Mom: Happy mother's day!

    shaz: I love me some bitter greens...

    Barbara: Lobster cobb, now that sounds delicious!

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  6. Every time I hear about chopped or Cobb salads, I always envision a former co-worker surrounded by bits of lettuce, chicken, bacon and cheese everywhere, lol. I really do love Cobb salads nonetheless, its just the perfect combo of ingredients. Looks like you had a great lunch!

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  7. i've never seen cobb salad presented so beautifully! this is marvelous. also, yeah, i could go for a lobster cobb-ster. :)

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  8. Connie: Yes, that is a vision I have also had--Cobb salads can make such a mess! But they can be worth it...

    grace: thank you! And I too am dreaming of the lobster cobb.

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  9. I love Cobb salad, anything with bacon will get my vote. Yours looks yummy.

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  10. Anna: Thanks--and thanks for stopping by!

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  11. I love this post and your salad presentation. Cobb salad is my favorite and when I go to lunch, I invariably wind up ordering it no matter what I first intended to eat. I've never served a composed salad at a party before but you've inspired me to try it next time! Thanks for sharing.

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  12. I can never resist a Cobb salad. It has a little bit of everything I love. Such variety in one huge, lovely bowl.

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  13. Jessica: Oh, thank you! I really enjoyed making it and hope you give it a try.

    CJ: Bacon, blue cheese, and avocado...heaven on earth.

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  14. The salad looks so fresh and vibrant! It's hard to come by a good Cobb salad, I guess the answer to that is to make it myself!

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  15. I love cobb salad. I don't know who came up with it but it's genius! Something for everyone! And you're right, quality ingredients make the difference. Roasted chicken definitely sounds better than poached.

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  16. That avocado is calling my name!

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  17. Jessica: I agree, sometimes restaurant cobb salads are not so great--too heavy or bad ingredients. Making it yourself is a better way to go!

    Ben: I think it was developed in L.A. by the chef (or owner?) of the Brown Derby.

    camille: avocado is good on nearly everything...

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  18. Beautiful colors! Cobb salads are a hit at our house, too. With the teens, they can still pick and choose a bit, yet I know we're still doing fresh salad for dinner.

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  19. livinlocal: Exactly--something for everyone!

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