Cobb Salad for a Picnic

Ingredients:

• 2 medium yellow tomatoes (about 450 g)
• 4 small cloves of garlic
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Zest and juice of 3 lemons
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 350g)
• 1 small ripe avocado, cut in half and scooped out
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced
• 6 thick slices of bacon
• 3 hearts of romaine lettuce
• 4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
• 100 g crumbled blue cheese

Preparation:

1. Preheat a grill or large grill pan over medium heat. Quarter the tomatoes, then slice each quarter into 1/2-inch-thick pieces. Combine in a medium bowl with 1/4 teaspoon salt; let stand at room temperature.
2. Grate 3 cloves of garlic into a 1-liter zip-lock bag. Add 1/4 cup olive oil, half the lemon zest and juice, and the chicken, and seal the bag tightly. Rub the marinade into the chicken, making sure it's evenly coated. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, grate the remaining garlic clove into a blender. Add the avocado, green onion, 1/2 cup water, 1/3 cup olive oil, the remaining lemon zest and juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper and blend until smooth. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the dressing and refrigerate the blender.
4. Transfer the chicken to a plate or baking sheet, shaking off any excess marinade. Season generously with salt and pepper. Place the chicken and bacon on the grill.
   
   Note
   
   If you have a charcoal grill, cook the bacon in a grill pan or the grease may ignite.
5. Grill the chicken until browned on both sides and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of each breast registers 165°F (74°C), about 5 minutes per side; transfer to a cutting board and let rest for at least 5 minutes. Grill the bacon, turning as needed to ensure even cooking, until lightly charred on both sides and most of the fat has rendered, about 10 minutes; transfer to a cutting board.
6. While the chicken is resting, quarter the Romaine hearts lengthwise, ensuring the leaves of each quarter are attached at the stem. Brush the cut sides with the remaining oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Grill, cut side down, spacing the pieces at least 1/2 inch (1 cm) apart (do not overcrowd the grill; grill in batches if necessary) until 1 cut side is lightly charred, 30 seconds to 1 minute; flip and grill the other cut side; transfer the salad to a cutting board and let cool slightly. Slice into 1-inch-thick pieces and arrange on a large platter.
7. Slice the chicken into 1-cm-thick slices and crumble the bacon. Arrange the chicken, bacon, eggs, tomatoes (with their juices), and blue cheese in rows on top of the Romano. When ready to serve, toss the salad with the dressing, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately.