One of the most ubiquitous Los Angeles dishes is the Cobb Salad which was created in Hollywood’s Brown Derby restaurant a late 1937 night by its owner Bob Cobb. Realizing that he hadn’t eaten, he tossed leftovers of lettuce, hard boiled eggs, cheese, tomatoes, chives, and avocado together, added a few pieces of bacon, and shared them with his friend Sid Grauman (of Grauman’s Chinese Theater fame). Grauman was impressed, called it a Cobb Salad, and it was added to the menu.

This Cobb Salad variation was prepared in a recent Cooking with LACMA class inspired by “Stains, 1969” and “Chocolate Room 1970/2024” from the special exhibition ED RUSCHA / NOW THEN.

For the chicken:
2 skinless chicken breasts 
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh peppercorns 
handful fresh parsley or cilantro
1 onion
1 cup water or chicken broth 

For the mole:
2 ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
2 guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
1/2 cup toasted peanuts
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
vegetable oil
1/2 white onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 corn tortilla, toasted
3 Roma tomatoes, halved
1 ripe plantain, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
2 1/2 cups chicken broth 
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
1 1/2 ounce (40 grams) Mexican semi-sweet chocolate 
salt and pepper

For the salad:
5 cups spinach, rinsed and dried
3 beets
1 apple, thinly sliced
1 bunch radish
1 large avocado, cubed
2 tomatoes, halved or quartered 
handful cocoa nibs
handful pumpkin or sunflower seeds 

For the vinaigrette:
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 
1 tablespoon Dijon
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup olive oil
salt and pepper 

Poach the chicken. Place the chicken in a large pot. Cover by an inch or so with cool water. Add salt, onion, peppercorns, and parsley. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. As soon as the water comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer. Begin checking after 8 minutes: it is done when opaque through the middle and an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the meat registers 165°F. Chicken will typically finish cooking in 10 to 14 minutes depending on the thickness of the meat and whether or not it is has a bone. Transfer the chicken from the poaching liquid to a cutting board. When cool, cut into 2-inch cubes.

Prepare the mole. Place the chiles in a bowl. Cover with boiling water. Let sit until fully rehydrated. 

In a dry skillet over medium, individually toast the peanuts and then the sesame seeds until lightly browned and aromatic. Be careful not to burn them. Place in a blender. (If using toasted nuts, omit.) 

In the same skillet, heat ¼ cup oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until translucent and lightly browned. Remove from the oil and place in the blender with the nuts. Add the tomato halves to the same pan and cook until lightly browned. Place in the blender then add the plantains to the same hot skillet and fry for about 7 minutes or until golden brown. (You may need to add a little more oil.) Add to the blender.

Toast tortilla on a dry skillet or directly over flame. Add to the blender.

Remove the rehydrated chiles from the water and add to the blender along with the oregano and 2 cups chicken broth. Puree until smooth. 

Wipe the skillet clean, set over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. When hot, carefully add the puree and mix well. Bring to a simmer, add the allspice, chocolate, salt and a little pepper to taste. Add another 1/2 cup chicken broth if too thick. Add about 1 cup of mole to the reserved poached chicken and toss to coat.

Prep the salad ingredients. Cook the beets. Place the beets and 1 teaspoon salt in a large pot. Fill with water to cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cook until fork tender - about 20 to 40 minutes. Allow to cool and then remove the skin under running water. Cut into cubes. Set aside. 

Make the vinaigrette. Place all of the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Thinly slice the apples and radishes and toss with together. Set aside. 

Assemble the salad. Arrange the spinach, beets, chicken mole, apple/radish slaw, tomatoes, avocado in separate rows. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and top with sunflower or pumpkin seeds and cocoa nibs to taste. 

Serves 4