Lynns Cobb Salad Food

INDIVIDUAL COBB SALADS

Steps:

• Pour lemon juice over the avocado slices and set aside. Place chopped romaine in a large bowl and toss with enough blue cheese dressing to lightly coat, about 1/3 cup. Set aside remaining dressing for another use.
• To assemble salads, place the ring mold on a chilled serving plate and fill with 1 cup of the romaine mixture, making sure that the lettuce fills the whole diameter of the bottom circumference. Carefully place 2 avocado slices on top of the lettuce on the right side of the mold, so that their curvature aligns with the mold. On the opposite side of the avocado, sprinkle corn on top of the lettuce so that it extends 1 1/2 inches from the left side of the mold. Next to the corn, sprinkle a 1/2-inch thick row of diced tomatoes. Next to the tomatoes and meeting the avocado, sprinkle a row of crumbled bacon. Garnish with a very thin row of blue cheese crumbles down the center. Carefully remove the mold by lifting straight up (some ingredients will shift). Repeat with remaining ingredients. Serve immediately.
• Cook's Note: If a ring mold is unavailable, use a 12-ounce tuna can (4-inch diameter by 2-inch height) and remove the top and bottom with a can opener.
• In a medium bowl, mix the mayonnaise, buttermilk, lemon juice, salt, and cumin until smooth. Fold in the crumbled blue cheese and chives. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Yield: 3/4 cup
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Difficulty: Easy

CLASSIC COBB SALAD

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.

SUNNY'S GRILLED COBB PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• For the grill: Prepare a grill for high heat.
• Cut each chicken breast open and in half to make 4 thin chicken fillets. With a meat mallet, gently pound each chicken fillet to even thickness. Sprinkle the chicken with the paprika and some salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil.
• Put both the chicken and corn on the grill above the direct heat. Cook the chicken on one side for about 4 minutes, then flip and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. For the corn, simply rotate to get charred and blistered kernels on all sides. This takes about the same time as the chicken, so tend to both simultaneously. Remove the chicken from the grill and cover with aluminum foil for 10 minutes. Allow the corn to cool enough to cut the kernels off, then do just that. Put the corn in a bowl. Once rested, finely chop the chicken: not big chunks, nice lil bits the size of peas.
• For the pasta: Bring a pot of water to a boil and season with salt. Cook the pasta to al dente according to the package instructions. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
• For the dressing: In a small food processor, add the mayonnaise, avocado, scallion, lime zest and juice, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Blend until smooth; if needed, add a splash of water to thin to desired consistency.
• For the salad: To the large bowl of pasta, add the sun-dried tomatoes and dressing and mix to combine. Arrange the chicken, corn, eggs, bacon and cheese on top of the pasta salad.

LYNN'S COBB SALAD

Steps:

• Cook bacon over medium heat until browned; drain on paper towels.
• Season cooked chicken cubes with seasoned salt, to taste.
• Toss avocados with lemon juice.
• Mix and layer lettuces on a large serving platter.
• Arrange rows of chicken, bacon, tomato, green onions, avocado, hard boiled egg, and shredded cheese on top of lettuce.
• Serve with choice of salad dressing.

UPDATED CLASSIC COBB SALAD

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.

COPYCAT BOB EVAN'S COBB SALAD

Steps:

• Line a large bowl with large lettuce leaves.
• Add salad mix.
• Top with remaining ingredients, arranging attractively.
• Top with favorite salad dressing; I like ranch or blue cheese dressings.

LYNN'S SUMMER SALAD

Steps:

• In large bowl, combine cauliflower, broccoli, artichokes, cheese, olives and garlic salt. Pour salad dressing over vegetable mixture. Refrigerate, covered, overnight.
• Drain salad dressing and save it for another use, if desired.