Back-to-School Cobb Salad

Make it now, or come to our live online workshop!

Issue 46: From Sara Kate

This beautiful salad is featured in our upcoming cookbook: Dynamite Kids Cooking School. Pre-order it now and get 25% off our Cobb Salad workshop on September 9th!* (Photo: Aubrie Pick)

I hate to say it but I’m thinking about back-to-school. At The Dynamite Shop, we’re planning some online workshops to help usher families back into the swing of fall and to celebrate the release of our cookbook. It all starts on September 9th with a Cobb Salad class for all ages, kids through adults. Come make dinner with us!

Through the years we had our in-person after school culinary school in Brooklyn, NY, we often launched our fall season with a big Cobb because it’s a great lesson in knife skills, since all the toppings should be chopped to about the same size. Kids would make their own vinaigrette dressing and practice poaching, which is a great way to make very tender chicken. So many lessons in one salad!

And there are so many ways to customize it. The classic recipe calls for crumbled bacon, but we think oven-crisped prosciutto (a lean, dry-cured Italian-style ham) is a healthier, crunchier, and, if you ask us, tastier alternative. Bonus: It can be made days ahead and stored in an airtight container. You can also try crisping up soppressata, salami, and other cured meats. Their flavor really intensifies in the oven.

For vegetarians, leave out the prosciutto and chicken and add more eggs. For vegans, also skip the eggs and cheese, but add toasted nuts, seeds, and/or crispy chickpeas.

And what a fun history: It’s named after Bob Cobb, the owner of Hollywood’s famed restaurant The Brown Derby. It was there, legend has it, that this salad came to be when Mr. Cobb threw together everything left in the refrigerator to make a late-night dinner for his guests, and it became the hot spot’s signature dish.

From the choices of ingredients to how they are laid out on top of the bed of lettuce, you can make this your own way. We’ve seen stripes, circles, hearts made from cherry tomatoes—you name it. Have fun with it!

*To get a promotional code for 25% off the Cobb Salad workshop, please pre-order our book and send a screenshot of the receipt to info@thedynamiteshop.com.

Cobb Salad
Serves 4-6

FOR THE SALAD
4 slices prosciutto, or 8 slices bacon (optional)
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large romaine hearts
1 ripe avocado, sliced
6 ounces grape or cherry tomatoes, halved lengthwise
4 ounces blue cheese (such as Roquefort), crumbled
1 Poached Chicken Breast (optional; recipe follows)

FOR THE VINAIGRETTE
1 small shallot, minced
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

If using prosciutto, preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the pieces of prosciutto in a single layer on a baking rack set over a sheet pan. Cook until crispy, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Place the eggs in a small saucepan with a lid and cover with water by 1 inch. Add the white vinegar and salt to the water to help prevent the shells from cracking and the whites from running should the shells crack. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Once the water boils, remove from the heat, cover the pot, and set a timer for 10 minutes. Prepare an ice bath in a bowl that will hold the eggs. When the timer goes off, use a slotted spoon to remove the eggs from the pan and submerge them carefully into the ice bath. Allow them to chill for at least 30 seconds. Peel the eggs (sometimes doing this step underwater or under cold running water is easier) and slice them in half lengthwise.

Slice the romaine hearts crosswise in thin ribbons, discarding or composting the root end. Arrange the romaine in the bottom of a wide salad bowl.

If using, crumble the cooked prosciutto and arrange it in a line or circle across the romaine. Arrange the avocado, tomatoes, blue cheese, chicken (if using), and halved eggs in a similar manner.

Make the vinaigrette: Combine the shallot, oil, vinegar, and mustard in a small lidded jar. Shake vigorously, then add salt and pepper to taste, tasting and adjusting for balance.

Just before serving, drizzle the dressing on top of the salad and toss.

Poached Chicken Breast
Makes 1

1 boneless skinless chicken breast (about 1⁄2 pound)
2 tablespoons kosher salt
A few cracks freshly ground black pepper
2 bay leaves
4 garlic cloves, smashed

Place the chicken breast in a saucepan with a lid and add the salt, a few cracks of black pepper, the bay leaves, and the garlic. Cover the chicken with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low so that the water is barely bubbling. Cover the pan. Begin checking the chicken after 8 minutes; it is done when an instant- read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads 165°F, or if the meat is completely white when you cut through the thickest part.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a plate or cutting board. When cool enough to handle, slice thinly, dice, or tear it into bite-size pieces.