Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Cobb Salad Sandwich



I love nostalgia and all things old.  Just hearing the name "Cobb Salad" makes me feel nostalgia for the 1960's.  I don't know why since many times you will still see the Cobb Salad on a restaurant menu today.

I work in a little corner office of what was once a casino.  The casino went out of business and the county bought the building as part of their convention center.  Most of the time, I'm all alone in this big, big building  (I think of Stephen King's book, The Shining, when I think of this place, because we have 4 floors, a parking garage basement, commercial kitchen, what I call the Grand Ballroom, office/meeting rooms and more. and it sits empty now, except for conventions, but a lot  of the time, it's just me)
In the lounge, we have items  leftover  from when it was a happenin casino, circa 1970's---close enough to the 60's for me---red velvet curtains,  big, semi-circle leather booths, cocktail tables and  the marquee which still says  "for your listening and dancing pleasure....."
And I KNOW they must have served Cobb Salad here in "The Star" restaurant.
Cobb Salad--it just goes with 'The Rat Pack' crowd!

Cobb Salad traditionally  has  chopped salad greens, tomato, crisp bacon, hard boiled egg, avocado, Roquefort cheese and sometimes roasted chicken.
The salad was invented in the 1940's at the Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant where it became a signature dish. 



I came across this Cobb Salad Sandwich recipe in the Better Homes and Garden's magazine called "Sunday Dinners."  (but this is more like a Sunday lunch) and I showed the picture to the Handyman and he said it looked good, so I decided to make it for him on Sunday--for lunch--when he stopped working on dining room tile long enough to eat.  (Yes, we are still working on that tiling project).
When we sat down to lunch, I asked him,  "So...do you remember Cobb Salads?"

"Nope", he said. 
"Really? Cuz that's what we're eating now.  A Cobb salad in a sandwich."
He said,  " oh...I thought it was a BLT with egg salad."

And it basically was.
But egg salad made with Roquefort salad dressing instead of mayo.

But really Handyman,  Cobb Salad was suppose to conjure up images of  Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr....all having lunch at the Brown Derby. 
Then he said, "what's the Brown Derby?"

I can't take him anywhere!!

On the other  hand,  he has good taste and appreciation for good food, even if it is just a sandwich.




Cobb Salad Sandwiches

To make one sandwich: 
 (just double or triple if you want more)

2 pieces of toast (I used oat bread)
Blue cheese salad dressing  (or  Roquefort if you can find it--I can't)
Hard boiled eggs  (I used 5 I think, but it depends on how many sandwiches you're making)
3 strips of crisp bacon
Thin sliced tomato
1 lettuce leaf (I  used red leaf lettuce)
Avocado optional (I didn't have any)

Hard boil your eggs and then chop and mix them with the salad dressing.  Set aside.  Fry the bacon strips and set aside.
Toast your bread and then spread with the salad dressing.
Layer, lettuce, tomato, bacon, top with egg salad spread.

It tastes just like Cobb Salad in bread!

While it was a good sandwich, it was a bit time consuming, and it took a lot of steps.   (um...that sounds like I'm lazy, but I had just done the dishes ) So, while I might make it for company, probably not again for the Handyman and myself.  (we can eat peanut butter for lunch)
It was good for a trip down memory lane tho.


4 comments:

bermudaonion said...

I love a good Cobb Salad, so this sounds divine to me!

Michelle B said...

This looks really good! Thanks for taking me on your trip down memory lane. Loved hearing your thoughts on what that old casino must have been like.

Anonymous said...

Yum - this looks like a great lunch Debbie, I would love this. Don't forget, you're not alone at work when people come in to look at rocks, lol! :o) Great pics by the way!

Karen said...

Oh, YUM! I love this idea. My gardener would really like it too (minus the Roquefort dressing).

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