Cobb Salad

Name: Cobb Salad
Ingredients: 1 pound sliced bacon (see notes), coarsely chopped; 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 1/4 cup tarragon-flavor vinegar; 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; 1 tablespoon minced shallot; About 1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground pepper; About 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 quart lightly packed watercress sprigs (4 oz.), rinsed and crisped; 5 quarts finely shredded lettuce (use half butter lettuce and half iceberg or all iceberg); 2 firm-ripe tomatoes (2/3 lb. total), rinsed, cored, and chopped; 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced skinned cooked chicken (7 oz.; see notes); 2/3 cup crumbled blue cheese (3 oz.; see notes); 2 hard-cooked large eggs, shelled and chopped; 1 firm-ripe avocado (1/2 lb.), halved, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced crosswise

14 ingredients

5 steps

Ingredients

1 pound sliced bacon (see notes), coarsely chopped
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup tarragon-flavor vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon minced shallot
About 1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground pepper
About 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 quart lightly packed watercress sprigs (4 oz.), rinsed and crisped
5 quarts finely shredded lettuce (use half butter lettuce and half iceberg or all iceberg)
2 firm-ripe tomatoes (2/3 lb. total), rinsed, cored, and chopped
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced skinned cooked chicken (7 oz.; see notes)
2/3 cup crumbled blue cheese (3 oz.; see notes)
2 hard-cooked large eggs, shelled and chopped
1 firm-ripe avocado (1/2 lb.), halved, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced crosswise

Directions

1

In a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium-high heat, stir bacon often until browned and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes; spoon out and discard fat in pan as it accumulates. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to towels to drain; discard remaining fat in pan.
2

In a 1-cup glass measure or small bowl, mix olive oil, vinegar, mustard, shallot, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
3

Set aside 4 to 6 watercress sprigs; coarsely chop remaining sprigs. In a large bowl, combine chopped watercress and lettuce. Add all but 2 tablespoons dressing and mix gently to coat.
4

Arrange equal portions of lettuce mixture in wide, shallow bowls. On each, in pie-shaped wedges, arrange equal portions of bacon, tomatoes, chicken, blue cheese, eggs, and avocado.
5

Spoon remaining dressing evenly over toppings. Garnish salads with reserved watercress sprigs. Add salt and pepper to taste.