California Cobb Salad with Green Goddess Dressing

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Grill pan or outdoor grill
• •Medium saucepan for eggs
• •Large serving platter or wide shallow bowl
• •Meat thermometer

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the green goddess dressing

   Combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, minced anchovies, lemon juice, and garlic in a medium bowl. Whisk until smooth. The anchovies will break down and disappear into the mixture, leaving only their salty, umami richness behind. Fold in the chives, parsley, and tarragon. Season with salt and pepper. The dressing should be thick enough to coat a spoon heavily and pale green throughout, flecked with darker herb bits. Refrigerate while you prepare the remaining components.

   Don't skip the anchovies. They won't taste fishy. They provide the savory depth that makes green goddess distinctive. Without them, you just have herb mayonnaise.
2. 2

   Cook the bacon

   Arrange the bacon slices in a single layer in a cold skillet. Set over medium heat. Cook slowly, turning occasionally, until the fat renders and the bacon crisps, about 12 to 15 minutes. You want deep golden brown with some chewy spots remaining, not brittle throughout. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Once cool enough to handle, chop into rough half-inch pieces. The bacon can be cooked up to two hours ahead and held at room temperature.

3. 3

   Boil and peel the eggs

   Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan and cover with cold water by one inch. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. The moment you see big bubbles breaking the surface, cover the pan and remove from heat. Let stand exactly 10 minutes. Transfer eggs immediately to an ice bath and let cool for 5 minutes. Peel under cool running water. The yolks should be just set, still slightly golden and creamy at the center, not chalky gray. Quarter each egg lengthwise.

   Eggs that are a week old peel far easier than fresh eggs. The membrane separates from the shell as eggs age. Plan ahead if you're using farm-fresh eggs.
4. 4

   Season and grill the chicken

   Pound the chicken breasts to an even three-quarter-inch thickness between sheets of plastic wrap. This ensures they cook evenly. Rub with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill over medium-high heat until very hot. A drop of water should sizzle and evaporate on contact. Grill the chicken 5 to 6 minutes per side, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees and the juices run clear. You want good char marks and a slightly smoky exterior. Rest for 5 minutes before slicing against the grain into half-inch strips.

5. 5

   Prepare remaining components

   Halve the avocados, remove the pits, and slice each half into thin wedges while still in the skin. Scoop out gently with a large spoon. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Toss the romaine and spinach together and arrange on a large platter or in a wide, shallow serving bowl. The greens should form a substantial bed about two inches deep.

6. 6

   Compose the salad

   Arrange the toppings in distinct rows across the bed of greens: sliced grilled chicken, crispy bacon, halved cherry tomatoes, avocado wedges, quartered eggs, and crumbled blue cheese. Each ingredient gets its own visible stripe. This is presentation with purpose. Scatter the sliced green onions over everything. The colors should be vivid against the green: golden chicken, ruby tomatoes, pale green avocado, white and yellow eggs, ivory-veined blue cheese.

   Serve the dressing on the side and let guests add their own. A composed salad loses its beauty the moment it's tossed, and appetites vary.
7. 7

   Serve

   Present the salad immediately after composing. Serve the green goddess dressing in a small pitcher or bowl alongside. Instruct your guests to drag their forks across the rows, gathering a bit of each component in every bite. That's how a Cobb is meant to be eaten. The interplay of flavors and textures is the whole point.

Chef Tips

• •The original Brown Derby Cobb used iceberg lettuce exclusively. I prefer a mix of romaine for its crunch and tender greens for variety, but pure iceberg is entirely traditional if that's your preference.
• •Roquefort was the blue cheese of choice in 1937. Use what you can find: Gorgonzola dolce for creaminess, Maytag blue for a sharper American option, or Danish blue for something milder.
• •This salad is infinitely adaptable to what your market offers. Turkey works as well as chicken. Cherry tomatoes can become sliced heirlooms in August. Hard-boiled eggs can become jammy six-minute eggs if you prefer.
• •A chilled Sauvignon Blanc from the Russian River Valley or a crisp California rosé suits this salad perfectly. The wine's acidity echoes the lemon in the dressing.

Advance Preparation

• •Green goddess dressing can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. The flavors meld and improve after the first day.
• •Bacon can be cooked, cooled, and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance. Crisp briefly in a skillet before serving if desired.
• •Eggs can be boiled and peeled up to 2 days ahead. Store in cold water in the refrigerator.
• •Chicken can be grilled up to 1 day ahead and sliced cold over the salad, or reheated gently.
• •Do not slice the avocado until just before serving. It browns quickly once cut.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 625g)