Chilled Seafood Cobb Recipe

In a large bowl gently toss arugula, sliced kale, chopped romaine and cooled quinoa. Chill in refrigerator while you prepare other components.

Cook seafood

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Add shrimp and cook 1–2 minutes until opaque and cooked through; remove with a slotted spoon to an ice bath. In the same water (or a separate pan), poach scallops 1–2 minutes until just opaque; transfer to ice bath. If lobster is not pre-cooked, poach lobster meat 1–2 minutes until opaque; chill. Drain seafood, pat dry and chill completely in refrigerator.

Make seafood dressing & combine

In a bowl whisk together 3 tbsp mayonnaise, 1 tbsp Greek yogurt, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp Dijon, 1 tsp chopped chives, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp olive oil. Gently fold cooled shrimp, scallops and lobster into the dressing until evenly coated. Refrigerate seafood salad until assembling (at least 15 minutes).

Prepare vegetables and fruit: thinly slice red onion, halve grape tomatoes, rinse blueberries, and dice avocado just before assembly to prevent browning. Keep chilled.

Soft-boil eggs

Bring a small pot of water to a gentle boil. Add eggs and cook 7 minutes for jammy yolks. Transfer to an ice bath for 5 minutes, peel and halve. Refrigerate until assembly.

Cook bacon

In a skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp, 6–8 minutes, turning as needed. Drain on paper towels, then crumble or slice into bite-sized pieces.

Make spiced pecans

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Toss 1/2 cup pecan halves with 1 tsp brown sugar, 1/4 tsp smoked paprika, 1/8 tsp ground cumin and 1/8 tsp salt. Spread on a baking sheet and toast 8–10 minutes until fragrant and lightly caramelized. Cool fully.

Make basil oil

Blanch 1/2 cup basil leaves in boiling water for 10 seconds, plunge into ice water, squeeze dry. In a blender combine blanched basil and 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil; blend until smooth and bright green. Strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth and chill. Keeps refrigerated for 48 hours.

Balsamic drizzle

Whisk 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar with 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt to make a simple balsamic drizzle. Keep ready for plating.

Whisk together 2 tbsp lemon juice, 3 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp Dijon, 1/2 tsp honey, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning. Chill briefly.

Arrange base and seafood

On chilled plates or a large serving platter, divide the greens-and-quinoa base into two equal portions (serves 2). Spoon a generous portion of the chilled seafood salad (shrimp, scallop & lobster) down the center of each salad.

Arrange halved soft-boiled eggs, crumbled bacon, halved grape tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, blueberries and diced avocado in sections along the greens, creating a Cobb-style layout.

Scatter spiced pecans over the salads. Drizzle each plate lightly with lemon vinaigrette, then add a few small pools or a fine drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette. Finish with a few teaspoons of basil oil for bright herb aroma.

Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately while seafood remains chilled and eggs are slightly warm or cool.