Tavern Cobb Salad (gf) Recipe

Prepare Romaine and Tomatoes

Trim root ends from romaine hearts, discard outer wilted leaves, then halve or quarter lengthwise to create large salad pieces. Rinse and spin dry. Halve grape tomatoes lengthwise and place in a bowl; set aside.

Slice scallions thin on a diagonal and set aside separately for garnish.

Halve the avocado lengthwise, remove pit, peel or scoop flesh and cut into 8–10 wedges. Toss gently with a pinch of salt and a few drops of lemon juice (optional) to prevent browning; reserve until plating.

Cook Bacon

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Arrange bacon slices on a wire rack set over a baking sheet (or directly on a lined sheet) and bake 12–16 minutes until crispy. Transfer to paper towels to drain and cool, then chop into 1/2-inch pieces. Reserve 1 tablespoon bacon fat if desired for flavoring vinaigrette (optional).

Cook Chicken

Pat chicken breasts dry. Rub with 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Cook chicken 5–7 minutes per side (depending on thickness) until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Rest 5 minutes, then slice into 1/2-inch strips or bite-sized pieces.

Make Deviled Eggs

Place eggs in a single layer in a pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a rolling boil, cover, remove from heat and let sit 10 minutes. Transfer eggs to an ice bath for 5 minutes, then peel. Halve eggs lengthwise, remove yolks to a bowl and mash with 2 tbs mayonnaise, 1 tsp Dijon, 1 tsp white wine vinegar, 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper until smooth. Spoon or pipe filling back into egg whites. Chill until plating.

Crumble or slice Point Reyes blue cheese into small chunks; keep refrigerated until ready to assemble.

In a small bowl or jar combine 2 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp minced shallot, 1/2 tsp honey, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Whisk while slowly streaming in 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning. If reserved bacon fat was kept, stir in up to 1/2 tsp for a smoky note (optional).

On a large platter or individual plates, arrange halved romaine hearts (flat side up) or chopped romaine in a mound as the base. Arrange sliced grilled chicken, grape tomatoes, deviled egg halves (4 halves from 2 eggs per serving as desired), chopped bacon, avocado wedges and scattered blue cheese in rows or sections across the romaine to create a classic Cobb layout.

Sprinkle sliced scallions over the salad. Drizzle red wine vinaigrette evenly to taste (roughly 2–3 tbsp per serving) or serve on the side. Finish with a few grinds of black pepper.

Serve immediately so avocado and romaine remain fresh. Leftover vinaigrette can be refrigerated up to 5 days; deviled egg filling and assembled salad are best consumed same day.