Retro Cobb Salad

I find myself with plenty of time on my hands this past week. There is only so much time you can spend at the beach or being a "tourist in your own town". As a result I have been surfing many of your wonderful and creative blogs this week between "beaching it", socializing and drinking ( Hic!! ) and have come across some interesting ideas.

 Rachel came up with what she calls the RRC or "Retro Recipe Challenge". In her own words it's "a celebration of retro food and retro recipes...it's food and pop culture". Rachel is a talented blogger with two sites Coconut and Lime and Food Maven. I think she has a link to her web site as well.

Retro food is anything popular before 1985. That would mean I have lived through the "retro years" and experienced retro foods first hand through my mom's home cooking. My daughter on the other hand has not, so, she lives vicariously through me. The thing is she dislikes these comfort foods like juicy meatloaf, shepherds pie and comforting mac 'n' cheese. She prefers to stir fry plenty of vegetables, eat heart healthy fish. and plenty of Thai! I can't blame her...but not liking meatloaf or a heart warming stew??? Come on now! Retro all the way!!!These days we still prepare a lot of these comforting retro foods but lighten them up for today's tastes with heart healthy ingredients.

I thought one food that might stand the test of time would be Cobb Salad. This definitely fits within the criteria being invented in 1937 by Brown Derby owner Robert Cobb.

The story goes that he went into his Hollywood restaurant kitchen one night to fix a late night snack for his friend Sid Grauman, operator of the Chinese Theatre. He mixed up whatever he could find and the Cobb Salad was born.

With this recipe I think I am also making Jenn proud over at Leftover Queen using all leftover ingredients and "odds and ends" from the refrigerator.

So, here it is. This is the original recipe as prepared at the Brown Derby in Hollywood for years.

**Original Cobb Salad**

1/2 head lettuce, about 4 cups

1 bunch watercress

1 small bunch chicory, about 2-1/2 cups

1/2 head romaine lettuce, about 2-1/2 cups

2 medium, peeled tomatoes

6 strips bacon

2 breasts of cooked chicken

3 hard cooked eggs

1 avocado

1/2 cup crumbled Roquefort blue cheese

2 tablespoons chopped chives

1 cup (approximately) dressing

Cut lettuce, half the watercress, chicory and romaine in fine pieces and arrange in a large salad bowl. Cut tomatoes, bacon, chicken, eggs, and avocado in small pieces and arrange, along with the crumbled Roquefort cheese in strips on the greens. Sprinkle finely cut chives over the Cobb Salad and garnish with the remaining watercress. Just before serving mix the salad with the dressing.

**Original Cobb Salad Dressing**

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon dry English mustard

1 small clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup full-flavoured olive oil

3/4 cup salad oil

Blend all ingredients together, except oils. Add olive oil and salad oil. Mix well. Blend well again before mixing with salad.

**The water is optional depending on the degree of oiliness desired in the dressing.

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