Description
A vibrant and quick broccoli salad featuring tender steamed broccoli florets tossed with a tangy garlic-red wine vinegar dressing, creamy feta cheese, and crunchy fried slivered almonds. This flavorful dish is perfect as a warm side or a light vegetarian meal with optional dried cranberries for a touch of sweetness.
Ingredients
Scale
Broccoli and Cooking:
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 cups water
- 1 pound broccoli crowns, fresh, trimmed and broken into similar-sized florets
Dressing:
- 1 large clove garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Toppings:
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds
- 1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese
- 1 handful dried cranberries (optional)
Instructions
- Boil Water: In a medium-sized pot, add about 6 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cover with a lid and bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat.
- Prepare Broccoli: While waiting for the water, trim and break the broccoli crowns into florets of similar size for even cooking.
- Mince Garlic and Mix Dressing Base: Crush the garlic clove with the side of a knife and mince finely. Combine it with 1/4 teaspoon salt and mash together to create a garlic paste using a mortar and pestle or a garlic press.
- Make Dressing: Place the garlic paste in a small bowl, add 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar and crushed red pepper flakes. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes to meld flavors.
- Steam Broccoli: Once the water boils, add the broccoli florets, cover the pot, and steam for exactly 3 minutes. Avoid opening the lid during cooking to ensure even steaming.
- Drain Broccoli: Immediately drain the broccoli in a colander and let it cool slightly.
- Fry Almonds: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small heavy frying pan over medium heat. Add the slivered almonds and fry for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning, until lightly browned. Transfer almonds to a paper towel-lined plate, sprinkle with salt, and let cool.
- Combine Salad: Whisk the remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil into the vinegar-garlic mixture. In a mixing bowl, toss the warm broccoli with crumbled feta, half of the fried almonds, and dried cranberries if using. Drizzle the dressing over and toss to coat evenly.
- Serve: Serve the salad warm, garnished with the remaining fried almonds sprinkled on top for extra crunch.
Notes
- Do not overcook the broccoli; steaming for exactly 3 minutes keeps them crisp-tender.
- Watch the almonds carefully as they can burn quickly during frying.
- Dried cranberries add a lovely sweet contrast but can be omitted if preferred.
- This salad is best served warm to enjoy the full flavor of the dressing and textures.
- You can substitute slivered almonds with toasted walnuts or pecans for variation.
