Deliciously Upgraded Cobb Salad with Shrimp and Blue Cheese

Summer has arrived with a particularly pointed vengeance. It is indeed too hot to cook; it is even too damned hot to pull the grill out and do the “barbie” thing. How hot is it? It’s “Two Hobbits just ran by and threw a ring into the kitchen.” hot.

After consulting with Madam Bad Wolf, I decided it was a day for a salad. As we all know, I do not eat simple food; I do not eat what is usual. It is time to kick the salad thing up a notch.

Let’s start with a Cobb Salad, which, according to Wikipedia, is:

The Cobb salad is an American garden salad typically made with chopped salad greens (authentically romaine lettuce), tomato, bacon, chicken breast, hard-boiled eggs, avocado, chives, blue cheese (often Roquefort; some versions use other cheeses such as cheddar or Monterey Jack, or no cheese at all) and red wine vinaigrette. The ingredients are laid out on a plate in neat rows. It is served as a main course.

Fantastic. Salad greens, tomato, bacon, eggs, avocado, blue cheese, and bacon vinaigrette—all checked. Nope, to the chicken; I have some frozen cooked shrimp. As for presentation, it’s all going into a bowl and getting tossed.

Shrimp on the “Cobb”

A hot day, cold meal classic, a cobb salad with added protein, sweet shrimp.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Salad

Cuisine American, Southern

Servings 4

Calories 353 kcal

Equipment

• 1 Skillet Cast Iron is best
• 1 Sald Bowl Large

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 14 oz Lettuce Romain, Chopped, 1 head
• 3 ea Eggs Hard Boiled, Peeled, Wedged
• 1 lb Shrimp Cooked, Peeled, deveined (31-40 ct)
• 1 Cup Tomatoes Cheery, washed, halved
• 1 ea Red Onion Peeled, Minced ~ 1/2 cup
• 2 ea Avocado Peeled, chopped
• 1 clove Garlic Peeled, crushed
• 1/2 tsp Salt Kosher
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper Fresh, medium grind
• 1/4 tsp Sugar Granulated
• 3 tbsp Olive Oil EVOO, good stuff
• 2 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar Good Stuff
• 5 slices Bacon Thick Cut, Good Stuff
• 1 cup Blue Cheese Crumbled, ~4 oz

Instructions

 

• Cook bacon in a skillet over medium, turning occasionally, until crisp, about 10 minutes. 
• Transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towels, reserving drippings in skillet. 
• Pour drippings into a small bowl; set aside to cool.
• Roughly chop bacon slices, add to the salad bowl, and toss well with lettuce, eggs, shrimp, tomatoes, onion, avocado, and cheese.
• In a food processor, add garlic, salt, pepper, and sugar; pulse until well mixed.
• Add the reserved drippings, olive oil, and vinegar; process until blended.
• Drizzle over salad; serve immediately.

Notes

A perfect meal with a minimum of required cooking.

I’ll also add croutons to intensify the texture difference. For a kick, one could add ONE (1) seeded and finely minced jalapeno to the dressing.

One can add pitted/sliced olives or pepperoncini peppers, maybe replace the blue cheese with feta for a more Greek style, or even swap the shrimp for anchovies or other small filleted fish.

Nutrition

Calories: 353kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 12gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 875mgPotassium: 382mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1082IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 205mgIron: 1mg

Keyword Bacon, Salad, Shrimp

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