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Food

Spanish-Style Cobb Salad

Serves 8

Written by
Spanish-Style Cobb Salad

The Cobb salad is a much-adored American classic created in 1937 at the Brown Derby restaurant in Los Angeles, owned by Robert Cobb. Using ingredients from the Spanish culinary canon gives this classic a Spanish twist while staying true to the spirit of the original. Manchego cheese and serrano ham stand in for blue cheese and bacon, eggs get a dusting of smoked paprika, and avocados are replaced with olives, while chicken is given the Spanish treatment with rubbed garlic and rosemary prior to roasting. Our salad is finished with a light and sunny orange-based vinaigrette.

Ingredients

Dressing
  • 3 Tbsp (45 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp (15 mL) sherry vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp (15 mL) freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) orange zest
  • 1/2 tsp (2 mL) honey
  • 1/4 tsp (1 mL) sweet smoked paprika
Chicken marinade
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 Tbsp (15 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp (1 mL) sweet smoked paprika
  • 1/4 tsp (1 mL) black pepper
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) fresh chopped rosemary
  • 2 chicken breasts, about 14 oz (400 g) total
Salad
  • 2 oz (56 g) serrano ham, cut in 1 semi-thick slice
  • 3 hard-boiled organic eggs, recently prepared
  • 1/4 tsp (1 mL) hot smoked paprika
  • 1/2 dry pint (275 mL) grape tomatoes
  • Pinch of salt
  • Pinch of pepper
  • 3 romaine hearts, about 18 oz (510 g) in total, washed and finely chopped
  • 2 oz (56 g) manchego cheese, cubed
  • 18 to 20 manzanilla stuffed olives, about 2 oz (56 g)

Nutrition

Per serving:

  • calories 262
  • protein 16 g
  • total fat 14 g
    • sat. fat 4 g
  • total carbohydrates 19 g
    • sugars 8 g
    • fibre 4 g
  • sodium 361 mg

Directions

01
For dressing, in Mason jar fitted with lid, combine olive oil, sherry vinegar, orange juice, orange zest, honey, and sweet smoked paprika. Shake well and set aside.
02
For chicken marinade, finely chop garlic; work salt into chopped garlic on cutting board and continue to mince with knife. Add to glass container with lid, along with olive oil, sweet smoked paprika, black pepper, and rosemary. Add chicken breasts to container and work mixture into both sides. Seal container and refrigerate for about 2 hours.
03
Chop ham into a fine dice and cook on low to medium heat until fat begins to render and ham becomes crispy. Drain and set aside.
04
Peel hard-boiled eggs and slice in quarters. Dust with hot smoked paprika.
05
Quarter grape tomatoes, season with pinch of salt and pepper, and in small bowl, combine with about 1 Tbsp (15 mL) dressing.
06
To assemble salad, in large bowl or platter, toss romaine with remaining dressing. Arrange cheese, ham, eggs, dressed tomatoes, and olives in rows over salad. Bring to the table and allow guests to pick their own or toss once more to combine.

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