 and tossed together with a seasoned mayonnaise dressing. (I used Hellman’s, my favorite.) And feel free to substitute ingredients; for example: you could omit the bacon or switch out the raisins for dried cranberries or use toasted sunflower seeds instead of almonds. data-pin-do=)
Broccoli Salad by Chef Laura Brennan
February 26, 2024
This is an easy, delicious and crunchy broccoli salad that does NOT call for cooking the broccoli. All the ingredients are prepped (the ‘mise-en-place’) and tossed together with a seasoned mayonnaise dressing. (I used Hellman’s, my favorite.) And feel free to substitute ingredients; for example: you could omit the bacon or switch out the raisins for dried cranberries or use toasted sunflower seeds instead of almonds.
Ingredients
4 slices bacon, about 4 ounces
2 crowns of broccoli, 1-1 ¼ pounds, total weight
½ cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/3 cup dark or golden raisins
1 cup thinly sliced celery, 2-3 stalks, depending on size of the stalks
¾ cup very thinly sliced red onions (1 small red onion)
2-3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar, divided, plus more to taste
1 cup prepared mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon mild honey
1-inch piece of fresh ginger root
1 ½ Tablespoons dried chives
Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper to taste
Optional: 1 medium apple, peeled and sliced or diced
Directions
‘mise-en-place’
Begin your prep by cooking the bacon. Either cook it on the stovetop or cook it in the oven at a moderate heat (325 degrees F). Cook until the strips are crispy, then remove from the fat, drain on paper towels, and let cool completely.
-Toast the almonds until light brown in color. Set aside to cool.
-Cover the raisins with warm water to ‘plump’ them. Let them sit for 15-20 minutes. Then drain off the water, dry on a paper towel and set aside.
-Very thinly slice the red onion and add to a separate bowl. Cover with cold water. Add one tablespoon of rice wine vinegar and mix. Let the onions sit for 15-20 minutes. This ‘acidbath’ will soften the rawness of the onion and brighten the color. Drain after 15-20 minutes and pat dry. Set it aside.
-Wash and dry the stalks of celery. Thinly slice each stalk diagonally. And like the red onions, very thin slices will lend a more elegant touch to the finished salad. Set it aside.
Rinse the broccoli crowns under cold water. Shake away excess water and let drain in a colander lined with cloth or paper towels. Cut the broccoli florets from each crown. Trim away most of the stem and cut the florets into bite-size pieces. Add all the florets to a large bowl and toss with ½ teaspoon kosher salt, Set aside. (You can save the trimmed broccoli pieces to add to soups.)
Make the dressing: Measure the mayonnaise into a separate bowl. Peel the ginger root and chop or grate finely and add to the mayonnaise. Whisk in the dried chives, the honey and 1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar. Add a small pinch pf kosher salt and a bit of fresh ground black pepper. Mix well to combine all the ingredients. Taste. Add more sweetness (honey) or acid (vinegar) to your taste.
To Finish:
To the bowl with the prepared broccoli florets, add the rest of the ingredients. Add all the prepared ingredients: the almonds, the raisins, the bacon, the celery and the sliced red onions. If using apple, add it now as well. Add the prepared mayonnaise dressing and toss to combine. Let salad sit in the fridge for 15-20 minutes before serving to allow all the flavors to ‘bloom’, before serving.
Yield: about one quart of finished salad: 4-6 servings as a side dish
Total Gathering and Prepping Time: 40-50 minutes
