The Curated Board, Part II: A Cobb Salad For Sharing
Along the lines of Elaine in that classic “Seinfeld” episode, “The Big Salad,” a friend once queried a restaurant server with the immortal words: “Are your salads of size?”
Yes, it was a male friend. And nope, he’s never lived it down.
Now, if he ever set eyes on “A Cobb Salad For Sharing,” he’d never have to wonder about that.
That’s because this Cobb salad generously fills an entire sheet pan, making it large enough to easily serve four. With its components arranged just so, it makes for an enticing presentation that draws your eye as well as your appetite.
The recipe is from “The Curated Board” (Abrams), of which I received a review copy.
If you’ve found yourself mesmerized by all those beautifully arrayed platters and boards of food that are popping up all over social media these days, this book will show you how to make your own.
It was written by Bebe Black Carminito, a San Francisco food stylist, recipe developer, and professional makeup artist whose Instagram handle is @champagneandcookies.
She shares curated themed boards perfect for any occasion. Each is accompanied by two to three recipes for homemade goodies plus suggestions on store-bought items to add to the mix.
“A Cobb Salad For Sharing” includes not only directions for assembling the salad, but also a recipe for a rich “Smoky Blue Cheese Dressing,” and thin, crispy “Herbes de Provence Grissini.” You’ll find the recipe for those Italian breadsticks in my post that published on Wednesday. Best yet, the grissini and dressing can be made ahead, so you can spread out the work.
While Black Carminito’s dressing recipe calls for smoky blue cheese, you can just use regular blue cheese as I did, if that’s all you can find at your local supermarket. Stir together sour cream, a little mayo, a splash of buttermilk, lemon zest, lemon juice, and chives, then fold in the crumbled blue cheese. It makes for a thick and creamy dressing. If your guests (or yourself) like generous dollops of dressing on your salad, you may want to make 1 1/2 to 2 times the recipe to ensure everyone gets as much as they want. If you end up with leftovers, just store in the fridge to use the next day on crudites.
On a rimmed baking sheet or large platter, arrange lettuce leaves all over, then top with groupings of cherry tomatoes, sliced beets, strips of crisp bacon, hard-boiled eggs, avocado, and a wedge or two of blue cheese.
If you want to add even more heft, you can add shredded or sliced cooked rotisserie chicken, cucumber wheels, asparagus spears, green beans, or snap peas.
Serve the dressing in a separate bowl, and alongside the grissini.
The beauty of this salad is that everyone can assemble their own just the way they prefer.
And for those desiring a “salad of size,” they will know immediately that they’ve come to the right place.
Cobb Salad
(Serves 4 to 6)
1 head green or red butter lettuce, 2 or 3 heads Little Gem lettuces, or 2 heads baby romaine, separated into leaves
6-ounce wedge of smoky or regular blue cheese, halved lengthwise
8 slices crisp-cooked bacon
3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved
1 to 2 avocados, pitted, peeled, and sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes
8 pickled (or roasted) golden or red beets, sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Minced fresh chives and crushed pink peppercorns, for garnish (optional)
Edible flowers, such as rose gernaniums, for garnish (optional)
Smoky Blue Cheese Dressing (recipe below)
Arrange the lettuce leaves in an even layer on a rimmed sheet pan. Place the blue cheese wedges, bacon, eggs, avocado slices, and cherry tomatoes decoratively and in separate mounds on top of the lettuce. Add the beets to a small bowl for each guest to add as they wish.
Season the salad ingredients with salt and pepper. Garnish with the chives, pink peppercorns, and edible flowers, if using. Pass the blue cheese dressing alongside.
Smoky Blue Cheese Dressing
(Makes 1 cup; serves 4)
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sour cream
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh chives
1 tablespoon buttermilk
1/2 cup finely crumbled smoky blue cheese or regular blue cheese
Garlic salt, if needed
1 1/2 teaspoons pink (or black) peppercorns, crushed
In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice, chives and buttermilk. Fold in the blue cheese and taste to see if you need salt. If so, add garlic salt to taste. Add the crushed pink peppercorns. Store dressing in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
To Drink: Hibiscus iced tea with lemon or sparking rosé.
To Accompany: Herbes de Provence Grissini
Adapted from “The Curated Board” by Bebe Black Carminito
More: The Curated Board, Part !: Herbes de Provence Grissini
Every year in December when we host a large dinner party, I’ve thought about doing a board. Perhaps this is the inspiration I need.
The bacon looks absolutely perfect. Do you have a favorite go-to brand?
Hi Karen: This book would be right up your alley then. There are so many creative boards to make. Admittedly, this was my very first time assembling one. It was super fun, too, and well worth the extra care to arrange everything attractively.
Hi Carroll: When I can get my hands on it and spring for it, I do love Black Pig Meat Co.’s bacon from Sonoma County. It’s made by chefs Duskie Estes and her husband John Stewart. Otherwise, Niman Ranch bacon is a good alternative. And my husband has been known to pick up some bacon from Sprouts’ meat department when there’s a good sale. 😉