My Cobb odyssey through Monterey Bay confirms that this seemingly simple salad offers endless variations, each reflecting its locale through thoughtfully sourced ingredients and chef-driven touches.
The best versions honor the classic formula while introducing subtle innovations.
For the perfect Cobb, the key is balance across textures, flavors and proportions. The most exemplary salads feature high-quality proteins, peak produce and housemade dressings that unite rather than dominate.
Like the diverse trails of Monterey Bay—through the coastal redwoods of Aptos, the oak-studded hills of Carmel Valley and the Cretaceous crags of the Gabilan Range—the region’s Cobb salads offer distinct terrains of taste, each worth exploring.
—Kera Abraham
Valley Kitchen Cobb
Ingredients
- 3 hard-boiled eggs
- 6 slices thick-cut lardon
- 3 heads organic baby mixed green lettuce
- 3 cups free range chicken breast, chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- ¾ cup Point Reyes blue cheese, crumbled
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 1 fresh avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
- 8 ounces creamy blue cheese dressing
- 1 cup cucumber, sliced
Instructions
- Place eggs in a saucepan and cover completely with cold water; bring to a boil, then cover and remove from heat.
- Let eggs sit for 10-12 minutes, then cool, peel and chop.
- While the eggs are cooking, place lardon in a sheet pan. Cook over mediumhigh heat until evenly brown, 10-12 minutes. Drain, chop and set aside.
- Divide the organic lettuce among individual plates. Top with rows of lardon, eggs, free range chicken, cherry tomatoes, blue cheese, English cucumber and avocado.
- Drizzle with the creamy blue cheese dressing.
About the author
Fernando Reyes is executive chef at Valley Kitchen at Carmel Valley Ranch.
