CHARRED BROCCOLI SALAD, ALMONDS & CHEDDAR
I always have broccoli available. It’s a vegetable my children eat with little complaint: boiled, well buttered, well salted.
It’s a vegetable that appears in our farm share in late summer, but I find it tastes good, even from the unpleasant grocery , year round. most frequently I roast it. i prefer it very charred.
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| CHARRED BROCCOLI SALAD, ALMONDS & CHEDDAR |
In this recipe, the broccoli is charred but it’s not roasted, and though the char resembles that from roasted broccoli, the feel is totally different. Carla, within the recipe notes, says: “Searing broccoli allows you to straddle the road between raw and cooked.”
Here, halved broccoli heads sear for about five minutes on one side and only one to 2 on the opposite . within the end, Carla says, “a cake tester should meet firm resistance when inserted into the thickest a part of stem.” The result's firm stalks with tender, charred florets.
This is an excellent salad to form before time or bring back a celebration because it holds alright and tastes even better with time: because it sits, the almonds, dates, and cheddar take in the flavors of the dressing, a mixture of vegetable oil , vinegar, and honey. The broccoli remains firm as time passes, but it, too, absorbs the dressing, becoming more flavorful.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 to 3 small broccoli heads, 1.25-1.5 lbs.
- extra-virgin olive oil
- kosher salt
- freshly ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon vinegar, such as apple cider or white balsamic, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup, plus more to taste
- nice flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, for finishing
- 5 to 6 Medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup salted Marcona (or other) almonds, roughly chopped
- 2 ounces aged or sharp cheddar, shaved with a vegetable peeler
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Trim woody ends from broccoli stalks, then cut heads away from stems. Peel stems and halve lengthwise. Cut broccoli heads in half through the crown to create two lobes (don’t separate into florets).
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2-3 teaspoons oil to pan. Place broccoli in skillet cut side down. Season all over with salt and pepper to taste. Cook undisturbed for about 5 minutes or until the undersides are well browned but broccoli is still crunchy — a cake tester should meet firm resistance when inserted into thickest part of stem.
- Turn heads over onto floret size for a minute, just to lightly brown rounded sides, then transfer to a cutting board.
- When cool enough to handle, cut broccoli heads and stems into 1/4-inch (or slightly larger) slices and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the vinegar, 1 tablespoon olive oil and the honey. Season generously with sea salt. Toss. Taste. Adjust seasoning with more olive oil, vinegar, and salt to taste — I’ve consistently been adding at least another tablespoon each of oil and vinegar. And I find the broccoli can really handle the sea salt, so don’t be shy — salt till it tastes good.
- Add the almonds and dates and toss again. Add the cheddar and toss one final time. Serve immediately or let stand for hours before serving. This salad gets even better as it sits — the dates, almonds, and cheddar soak up the dressing, while the broccoli remains firm (while also absorbing the flavors of the dressing). This is a salad to be eaten with a knife and fork.
