Salad Days – The Cobb Salad

Cobb Salad: One of the most famous dishes in American culinary history was created on the spur of the moment at the famous Brown Derby Restaurant in Hollywood.The official story as to the origins of this famous salad come from the Brown Derby itself:

“One night in 1937, Bob Cobb, then owner of The Brown Derby, prowled hungrily in his restaurant’s kitchen for a snack. Opening the huge refrigerator, he pulled out this and that: a head of lettuce, an avocado, some romaine, watercress, tomatoes, some cold breast of chicken, a hard-boiled egg, chives, cheese and some old-fashioned French dressing. He started chopping. Added some crisp bacon — swiped from a busy chef.

The Cobb salad was born. It was so good, Sid Grauman (Grauman’s Chinese Theatre), who was with Cobb that midnight, asked the next day for a ‘Cobb Salad.’ It was so good that it was put on the menu.

Cobb’s midnight invention became an overnight sensation with Derby customers, people like movie mogul Jack Warner, who regularly dispatched his chauffeur to pick up a carton of the mouth-watering salad.”

Over the years many Hollywood celebrities have enjoyed Cobb Salad, including Clark Gable, Humphrey Bogart and of course, who can forget William Holden who ordered a Cobb Salad in the episode of I Love Lucy when Lucy, Ethel and Fred arrive in Hollywood and have lunch at the Brown Derby in the booth right next to him.  Sadly, the Brown Derby has closed it’s doors,
but that remarkable salad it is famous for, lives on.  And happily you can join the likes of all those stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood and enjoy a Cobb Salad too….right in your own home!

Just one more way to experience love, joy and abundant living 🙂

Classic Brown Derby Cobb Salad

Serves 6

1/2 firm head, iceberg lettuce
1/2 bunch, watercress
1 small bunch curly endive
1/2 head, romaine lettuce
2 tablespoons, minced chives
2 medium-size tomatoes
1 whole chicken breast (both halves) – poached or roasted, boned, skin removed
6 strips, bacon – cooked
1 avocado – peeled, pit removed
3 hard-boiled eggs
1/2 cup, Roquefort or blue cheese – crumbled
*Special French Dressing – recipe follows

Individually chop the iceberg lettuce, watercress, curly endive and romaine lettuce into fine pieces. Mix all the greens together in a large bowl; add the chives, and toss. Chop the tomatoes into small pieces. Dice the cooked chicken breast, bacon, avocado and hard-boiled eggs. Arrange each of the chopped ingredients and the roquefort or blue cheese in rows or wedges like the spokes of a wheel, on top of the greens.

Chill the composed salad until serving time. Toss with about 1/2 cup of the Special French Dressing, and serve immediately.

*SPECIAL FRENCH DRESSING

Makes about 1 1/2 cups
1/4 cup, water
1/4 cup, red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon, sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons, lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon, salt
1/2 teaspoon, fresh-ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon, Worcestershire sauce
3/4 teaspoon, dry English mustard
1/2 clove, garlic – minced
1/4 cup, extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup, vegetable oil

In a blender or screw-top jar, blend together all ingredients except the oils. Then add oils. Whisk thoroughly to blend, or shake well. Chill dressing. Whisk or shake again before using. Keeps well in the refrigerator.

A note from the Brown Derby: “The water is optional, depending upon the degree of oiliness desired in the dressing.”