Cobb Salad : 'Now that's what I call a salad!'

As a family member said ... 'now that's what I call a salad!' 😋

The classic American Cobb salad is based on chopped salad leaves, with chicken or turkey, bacon, eggs, avocado, blue cheese and chives. You can arrange all the topping ingredients in pleasing lines, or scatter them over the chopped-leaf base.

Ingredients
Serves Four

1½ tbsp olive oil, plus extra, for frying
½ tsp sea salt flakes
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp garlic granules
2 skinless chicken breasts
12 slices smoked pancetta (approx. 100g/3½oz)
3 free-range (if possible) eggs
2 large banana shallots, finely chopped
1 large avocado, peeled, stone removed
1 large romaine lettuce, chopped
1 head white chicory, chopped
80g/2¾oz watercress, larger stems discarded, chopped
180g/6¼oz cherry tomatoes, halved
100g/3½oz Roquefort, diced
½ bunch chives, finely chopped
7 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Put the olive oil in a sealable bag or container, then add the sea salt flakes, paprika, ground coriander and garlic granules and mix to combine. Add the chicken breasts and rub in the spicy mixture. Seal the bag or container and set aside for at least 20 minutes, or in the fridge for up to 8 hours.
2. Heat a large frying pan over a medium–high heat. Add the pancetta and turn down the heat, then fry, turning once, until deep golden-brown and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and leave to cool.
3. With the pan still over a low heat, add the chicken to the fat that’s rendered from the pancetta (if there isn’t enough, add a little olive oil). Place a plate on the chicken breasts to weigh them down, and fry for 7 minutes, then turn and cook for another 3–4 minutes, or until fully cooked through.
4. Meanwhile, bring a small pan of water to the boil. Gently lower in the eggs and simmer for 7 minutes, then transfer to a bowl of cold water.
5. When the pancetta is cool enough to handle, crumble it and set aside.
6. Lift the chicken out of the pan onto a plate lined with kitchen paper. Leave to cool slightly, then cut into small cubes.
7. Add the shallots to the pan with a pinch of salt and fry, stirring frequently, until deep golden and caramelised.
8. Peel and chop the hardboiled eggs. Chop the avocado.
9. Put all the chopped leaves on a large platter. Scatter over about two-thirds of the fried shallots. Arrange the chicken down the centre, then add the tomatoes, avocado, eggs, pancetta and Roquefort in rows either side of the chicken. Sprinkle the chives in between the ingredients.
10. Transfer the remaining fried shallots to a jug. Add the oil, vinegar and mustard, a good pinch of salt and a good grinding of pepper. Whisk well, then taste and adjust the oil, vinegar or seasoning as needed.
11. Dress the salad at the table, or serve the dressing separately.

Tip

Cobb salad is traditionally made with a mixture of salad leaves, so use whatever you have.

Read more about Roquefort cheese here

Recipe from idea here

For those readers not experiencing warmer salad weather how about this tasty recipe for a comforting vegetable stew / casserole? See it here

You will see a variety of recipes within this blog. Please note, not all the recipe ideas featured in this blog may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic (more about this here) and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter. If you have any concerns about your health, it is always advisable to consult your doctor or health care team.

All the best Jan