[Classic Cobb Salad] Protein Packed Healthy Salad with Delicious Vinaigrette

I've been trying to reduce the amount of carbohydrate intake since a few months. I'm not denying that carbohydrate is an essential nutrient. However, this main nutrient shouldn't take too big portion of your diet,  ironically, to keep you healthy. It's hard for lots of people, especially for a person like me who loves baking. But, I decided to enjoy a small piece of each output, instead of avoiding baking. Well, sometimes, it's even harder to take just a little bit than to take nothing at all. But, I am trying hard! And it works, not all the times, at least pretty often, and I'm content with it, in general.

Cobb salad has always been one of my favorite salads. The highest honor should have been conferred on whoever thought of eating greens with tasty dressing for the first time. An appetizing dressing can upgrade the level of the salad to a scrumptious and healthy meal. Last Saturday, I made super size cobb salad which could easily serve 6 grown-ups. But, we all gobbled it up, and not a leaf of boston lettuce was left at the end. I think I'm very lucky in that sense that my kids love salad (and vegetables).  

I like the scene of "Cobb salad lunch" in Julie & Julia. You actually don't see the Cobb salads Julie and her friends ordered. But you can see everybody has a different taste even for a salad. I'll write down the the script of the short scene here:

Waiter: What can I get for you ladies?

Friend 1: I will have a Cobb salad, no bleu cheese.

Friend 2: Cobb salad, no beets.

Friend 3: Cobb salad, no bacon.

Julie: Cobb salad, no eggs.

Personally, I've never added beets to my Cobb salad, but I will never omit bleu cheese, bacon or eggs. Those are all absolutely essential requisites.

Before I write down the recipe, you might be wondering how the salad is named Cobb. The Cobb salad is named after Robert Cobb, the owner of  Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant, where the salad was first invented and became a signature dish. (Reference: Wikipedia)

Salad must be the easiest thing to make when you have all the ingredients ready. A merit of salad is that you can increase or decrease the amount of each ingredients according to your taste, and that change of the amount of the ingredients doesn't change the general taste of the salad. The one thing that commands the taste of salad would be the choice of dressing. The importance of a tasty dressing cannot be over-emphasized. It's very very very important. This vinaigrette is a simple 'divine' salad dressing I am fond of. 

Here goes the recipe.

Ingredients

For salad

2 boneless and skinless chicken breast half

 4 large eggs, hard boiled

6 slices bacon

 1 head Boston lettuce

2 large tomatoes

 1/2 small ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces 

2 ounce blue cheese, crumbled

1/2 bunch watercress (I don't know why, but the nearest supermarket I go doesn't carry watercress!!! I couldn't add watercress, but watercress makes your Cobb salad taste even better!)

For dressing

 4 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

 1-2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

Directions

1. Cook chicken according to your taste. Season with salt and pepper. I prefer cooking on frying pan, but, cooking chicken breast in the boiling water is also fine. 

2. Cook bacon in a medium saute pan over medium heat until browned and crispy. 

Transfer to drain on paper towels. Let it cool before chop roughly.

3. Dice chicken, tomatoes, avocado, and egg whites. 

And, crumble egg  yolk and bleu cheese.

4. Wash lettuce and drain. Cut into sliced crosswise into 1 to 2-inch-wide strips 

5. Make the vinaigrette: In a bowl, whisk together red wine vinegar, and mustard. Whisk in the oil. Season with pepper. 

6.Fill the bottom of a big bowl with boston lettuce.

7. Arrange chicken, egg white and yolks, bacon, tomatoes, avocado, and bleu cheese in separate rows, on top of lettuce.

Drizzle vinaigrette over salad, and serve immediately.

There's no notable carbohydrate in this salad~ But, it's so yummy and filling that you will not crave any carb after this big lunch(or dinner)!

Enjoy!

Cobb Salad