I love broccoli and I love dishes I can whip together from memory even more. This is recipe is easy, delicious and nutritious. I last made it for a Thanksgiving meal in May. Yes, Thanksgiving in May. It was put together for a photoshoot and it withstood cooking it hours ahead of time and being served later in the day with not a wilt or loss of crunchy flavor.
Hazelnut Broccoli Salad Recipe
- 4 cups of organic cut broccoli florets
- 4 large garlic cloves diced
- 4 large shallots sliced thinly
- Olive oil
- A pinch of flaky sea salt
- 1 cup of raw hazelnuts
- 1/2 cup of feta cheese crumbles
1. Steam your broccoli for no more than 2 minutes. You want them to turn that brilliant green, but not lose it’s crunch. This is in my opinion the best part of this dish and of any dish containing broccoli. The crunch is everything in my opinion, and if you just steam it for under 2 minutes, the outsides start to warm and soften but the florets retain their heartiness and make for a satisfying chewing experience as well as taste. So the trick here is, do not place the broccoli in the steamer until the water is already boiling. Once done, set aside to cool.
2. In a small saute pan, drizzle some olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and the garlic and mix together along with a small pinch of salt. Attend to this as it heats, stirring it on occasion. You want the shallots to start caramelizing and the garlic to brown. There is a temptation here to use high heat, do not. The slower the process the better. It’s done when the shallots have reduced, turned a medium brown and the garlic is close to crisping. When done, toss in with the broccoli.
3. Drizzle a light bit of olive oil over the broccoli and shallot mixture and mix.
4. Add the hazelnuts and mix.
5. Plate your salad and then crumble some feta cheese on top and serve. This serves as a hearty side dish for 4-6 people. Can be served hot or at room temperature and keeps well for about 2 days, but it shouldn’t be kept for longer than that and of course it’s gluten free.
Yumm!