Recipe: Traditional Cobb Salad with Cobb Salad Vinaigrette

TRADITIONAL COBB SALAD

2 pounds chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
16 bacon slices
1 pound romaine lettuce, washed, dried, and torn into pieces
1/2 cup Cobb Salad Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes
2 cups crumbled blue cheese
2 avocados, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1/2 cup scallions, sliced on bias
8 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled and quartered

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat and saute the chicken breasts until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Place the pan in preheated oven and finish cooking the chicken to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Cool and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices on the bias.

Saute the bacon until it is crisp. Drain on paper towels and crumble into small pieces.

TO SERVE:
Toss the romaine with the vinaigrette and divide among 8 plates. Top with 5 or 6 chicken slices, 3 tablespoons diced tomato, 1/4 cup blue cheese, 1/4 avocado, 1 tablespoon scallions, 4 hard-boiled egg quarters, and 2 tablespoons crumbled bacon.

COBB SALAD VINAIGRETTE
Makes 2 cups

1/4 cup water
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 1/4 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon coarse grain mustard
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/4 cups extra-virgin olive oil

Blend all the ingredients except for the olive oil. Allow the flavors to marry for 5 minutes. Add the olive oil and whisk thoroughly. It may be necessary to blend the dressing again before serving.

Makes 8 servings
Source: Gourmet Meals in Minutes by The Culinary Institute of America