Asian Cobb Salad

Last year, I made real Cobb Salad according to Julia Child's specifications. It was one of the best salads I've ever eaten, but took a mind numbing amount of time to prepare all the ingredients. In contrast, this Asian Cobb Salad is much easier to make, taking less than 30 minutes to assemble.  And while it won't supplant Julia's recipe as my favorite, this was quite good and I would be more likely to make this version in the future, due to the ease in preparation.  The salad has shredded Napa and red cabbage, spinach, snow peas, and chicken, along with chopped scallions and cucumbers. But, you can substitute vegetables of your choice, as well as using cubed tofu in place of the chicken.  The dressing is full of flavor and goes a long way.  You can use less of it, if you like, and still get a nice flavor.

Asian Cobb salad

(Adapted from Deborah Madison's The Savory Way)

Yield: 2-4 Servings

2    cups    Spinach leaves, cut into narrow strips
2    cups    Napa cabbage, cut in narrow strips
2    cups    red cabbage, cut fine
½   large    Cucumber peeled, seeded, and diced
4    scallions thinly sliced on the diagonal
1    About 3/4 cup snow peas, cut in narrow strips   
1    cooked chicken breast, skinned and cut into narrow strips (Cubed silken firm tofu can be substituted)
1    tablespoon  black or white sesame seeds  ( Or use chopped peanuts)

Arrange all the vegetables and the chicken (or tofu) as you like. You can arrange them in small piles in a wide, shallow bowl or large plate. The classic Cobb Salad would be to put the greens on the bottom, with the other ingredients arranged in narrow columns on top.  But, this is your opportunity to make your own design. 

Heat the sesame seeds in a dry pan until they begin to smell toasted, then let them cool. Just before serving, sprinkle the seeds over the salad.  Drizzle the dressing on top, or serve it on the side.  Toss the salad altogether after you put on the dressing.

The Dressing

1 garlic clove
2 Tablespoons peanut oil
2 Tablespoons dark sesame seed oil
2-1/2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely minced
1 Tablespoon tahini (or use peanut butter, if you prefer)
6 finely chopped mint leaves
2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro

Mash or press the garlic into a paste and then add the other ingredients and whisk into a thick paste. I used a small blender.

Comments

[gattina]

you cut everything in the same length and width!!!
I don't eat salad, but every single one you made always impresses me!

[Lydia]

That salad is a beautiful thing! I love the presentation on the plate. And I'm a sucker for anything with a peanut-y sauce. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

[veron]

beautiful salad and I like the dressing ingredients...I'm with gattina how did you manage to chop your vegetables so evenly?!

[ann]

that dressing sounds amazing! and yes, amazing knife skills! I don't have the patience for that kind of slicing. I tend to hack...

[Ros]

Cobb salad is my second favourite type of salad (after a properly done tuna nicoise). I've never heard of anyone doing an asian one though. It sounds like a very good idea.

[s'kat]

That sounds delicious! I'm definitely copying down that dressing recipe.

[Shannon]

This is tonight's dinner, no doubt, as I have almost all the ingredients at home already! Yay!

[Kristen]

I love cobb salad and can just imagine how good this version would be. Delicious!

[LiberalFoodie]

That looks divine. I've never made the classic cobb salad and didn't have any intention to but now that I see your recipes for both, I'll have to try them. Thanks!

[Kalyn]

Yum, yum, yum. I have most of the ingredients too!

[whaleshaman]

yippee, an asian dressing that's lo-carb enough. [per T: tahini~1.75g; soy sauce~1.0g]

okay, don't everybody laugh but i am clueless about jalapeno, et al, hot peppers, other than those mild cans of chopped chilies.

is this hot hot, as in really hot? i think that's why i don't know more. i've never taken to hot cuisine. i don't mind a little tingle but fiery?? uh-unh, no m'am.

any substitutions or suggestions as to SAFELY and slowly introduce these little beauties into my cooking?

thanks, sher -- as usual it's beautiful to behold.

[Anh]

Sher, your salad looks delicious! Like Gattina, I don't really like salad. But looking at yours, I change my mind. :D

[sher]

Gattina, Veron, & Ann,

Thank you so much, but I'm not being humble when I say that cutting the veggies was pretty easy (and I'm not that great with the knife, truth be told), mainly because the amount was reasonable, I think. It was much harder when I did the Julie Child recipe. But, thank you! I appreciate it. :)

Lydia,

Thank you! I too love the peanutty dressings and sauces.

Ros,

Ah yes, tuna nicoise! I sure do love that too. :)

s'kat,

I really liked the dressing, it made the salad.

Shannon,

Great!! Hope you like it! :)

Kristen,

It's interesting how chopping ingredients really small makes them taste so good. :)

LiberalFoods,

Great! I tell you--that Julia recipe is time consuming, but really delicious (bacon helps a lot). :):)

Kalyn,

It was pretty filling too. Bob and I had it as a main course.

Whaleshaman,

I'm sort of a pepper wimp. I have to be careful about the amount I use. You could get a jalapeno and use about 1/4 of it. The seeds are where the real heat is located, so, if you leave them out, it helps. But, you could just skip the peppers altogether and it would still be very good. :):)

Anh,

Oh thank you!! :):)

[sandeepa]

I come to your blog and theres so much fresh light food that I think I should rehaul my diet :)

[Katie]

I think I would like this even better than the 'traditional'.
I love the Asian dressing.

[Callipygia]

OK, the veggies are stunning and all- but the dressing! I can't wait to try it. Thanks

[gilly]

This salad looks lovely... I have a Deborah Madison book, and she has a wonderful way of making all vegetables seem like such a treat!

[Lisa]

I think I remember reading about your Cobb salad ordeal last year! It was beautiful and so is this one.

[Caroline]

What a great idea. This looks awesome. I have tons of Asian grocers in my neighborhood and wish I had more ideas of how to use all the ingredients. This looks like a great thing to eat on the porch in summertime...

[Glenna]

Ooooh, Sher. That is so intriguing. That makes me feel healthier just looking at the picture.