Country Cobb Salad Recipe

Prepare vegetables

Rinse and spin dry the baby arugula; place in a large bowl and refrigerate until ready to assemble. Halve the heirloom grape tomatoes. Trim ends of the green beans and blanch them in boiling salted water for 2–3 minutes until bright green and tender-crisp, then immediately plunge into an ice bath for 2 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Slice cucumber into 1/4" rounds. Cut red onion into very thin slices and soak in cold water for 5 minutes if you want milder onion flavor, then drain. Remove corn kernels from the cob (or defrost frozen and pat dry). Toss chopped fresh dill with the prepared vegetables and set aside.

Make chopped eggs

Place 3 eggs in a small saucepan and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then cover, remove from heat, and let stand 10 minutes. Transfer eggs to an ice bath for 5 minutes. Peel and chop coarsely. Season lightly with a pinch of salt and pepper and set aside.

Marinate cheddar curds

In a small bowl combine 1 tablespoon buttermilk, 1 teaspoon chopped dill, and a pinch (about 1/8 tsp) of the salt and pepper. Add the cheddar curds and toss to coat. Let sit 10–15 minutes while you heat oil and prepare dredge.

Dredge and fry curds

Heat about 1 cup vegetable oil in a small heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C) or gives a steady bubble when a drop of batter hits the oil. Place 1 tablespoon flour in a shallow dish and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Drain excess buttermilk from curds and lightly toss each curd in the seasoned flour to coat completely. Fry curds in batches, 30–60 seconds per side, until golden and puffed; do not overcrowd. Using a slotted spoon, transfer fried curds to a paper towel–lined plate and sprinkle with a light pinch of salt. Let cool slightly — they will crisp up as they rest.

In a medium bowl whisk together 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt, and 2 teaspoons sour cream until smooth. Add chopped parsley (2 tbsp), chives (1 tbsp), tarragon (1 tsp), dill (1 tsp), and the minced garlic clove. Stir in 2 teaspoons lemon juice and 2 teaspoons olive oil. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper. If the dressing is too thick, whisk in up to 1 teaspoon of water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, until you reach a pourable consistency. Taste and adjust salt, lemon, or herbs as desired. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.

On a large platter or individual plates, arrange the baby arugula as a base. Evenly distribute the heirloom grape tomatoes, blanched green beans, cucumber slices, corn kernels, and thinly sliced red onion over the arugula. Scatter the chopped hard-boiled eggs over the salad. Place the warm fried dill-marinated cheddar curds on top so they stay crisp and warm.

Drizzle the house-made green goddess dressing over the assembled salad (start with about 2–3 tablespoons and add more to taste) or serve the dressing on the side. Garnish with the remaining 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill and a final grind of black pepper.

Serve immediately so the fried curds remain crisp. Leftover dressing will keep refrigerated up to 3 days; assemble salad components just before serving for best texture.