Cobb salad

This salad is one of the most famous recipes in North American gastronomy, although, much like Russian salad, each person makes a version that bears little resemblance to the original. It was created by Robert Howard Cobb, owner of the famous restaurant The Brown Derby in Los Angeles, California, in the 1930s, and the recipe I present to you is the authentic version.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4):

• 1 iceberg lettuce or romaine lettuce, washed and chopped
• 1 cooked chicken breast, cut into cubes (you can also fry or bake it)
• 4 slices of crispy bacon, crumbled
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
• 4 ripe red tomatoes (or salad tomatoes, as preferred), diced
• 2 avocados, diced
• 100 grams (3.5 oz) of blue cheese or Roquefort cheese, crumbled (you can also use feta cheese)
• Finely chopped red onion
• Dressing of your choice (ranch dressing is commonly used, and I'll provide the recipe below)

Ranch Dressing:

• 100 ml (1/2 cup) mayonnaise
• 100 ml (1/2 cup) sour cream (or Greek yogurt for a lighter version)
• 100 ml (1/2 cup) milk (you can adjust the amount for desired consistency)
• 2 tablespoons white or apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons red onion or onion powder
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried parsley)
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped (optional, but it enhances the flavor)
• 1 teaspoon fresh chives, finely chopped (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

We start by placing a bed of chopped lettuce on a large serving dish or individual plates if preferred.

The ingredients are placed in an orderly manner in layers over the lettuce, without mixing with each other (although sometimes they are arranged in horizontal segments to display the components, it is not recommended because, this way, although it looks great for presentation, the flavors don't blend).

It's common to start by placing the strips of chicken on the bed of lettuce, followed by the crumbled bacon, the slices of hard-boiled egg, the diced tomatoes, the avocado, the blue cheese, and the red onion. And remember, don't mix them together.

Finally, drizzle your chosen dressing over the salad just before serving. Ranch dressing is very popular, so here's the recipe. It's also used to season chicken wings or barbecued meat, so it's good to have the recipe on hand.

In a medium bowl, mix the mayonnaise and sour cream until well combined. If you don't have sour cream, you can make it by using cooking cream (18% fat) and adding the juice of half a lemon. Let it sit in a cool place, and after half an hour, you'll have sour cream.

Add the milk gradually, stirring well after each addition, until you achieve the desired consistency (a slightly liquid version is preferred, thicker versions are usually reserved for meat dressings).

Add the vinegar and lemon juice, and mix well.

Incorporate the chopped garlic and the red onion or onion powder. Stir to combine all the flavors.

Add the chopped parsley, dill, and chives (if using) and mix again.

Taste the ranch dressing and adjust the amount of salt and pepper according to your preference.

Let it sit in the refrigerator for half an hour, and then you can use the dressing with the Cobb salad.

It goes without saying that with the amount of protein and vegetables it contains, it can be a complete meal without any problem.