In the deep of winter, this broccoli salad will surely brighten your plate and palate both. By now I’m hard pressed to face yet another serving of winter greens with much enthusiasm. This salad is a spark to brightness and crunch – and it’s been seeing a lot of “plate time” at our house.
The genesis of this recipe was a plan to both simplify and lighten up traditional broccoli salad, using ingredients that are my son’s favorites. Broccoli, check. Apricots, check. Marinated red onion, check. Balsamic vinaigrette, check. Yes, even as a young boy, my son’s favorite vegetable was broccoli!
Too often broccoli salads involve a long list of ingredients and are laden with a heavy, mayonnaise-based dressing. I was after a version that would be more refreshing and an antidote to the heavy foods of winter. And wanted to incorporate the apricot flavors of warmer days!
This is salad, not science. I encourage you to fiddle with it and make it your own winner. But by all means use this as a proven starting point – even if your adaptation is into a kale salad!
A few advance notes:
- I used a specialty white balsamic vinegar infused with Blenheim apricots. Naturally this amplifies the apricot-i-ness of the salad. I get it at Amphora Nueva, in their original shop in Berkeley. If you are in the Bay Area, they have expanded into San Anselmo in Marin County and Lafayette, Contra Costa County, too. You can find them online and order. (I’m a huge fan and I hope you’ll check them out!)
- Substituting in plain white balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar will also produce delicious results.
- I prefer slicing the broccoli by hand to control the size of the broccoli florets. You want them small, bite-sized, but still recognizable and not a mass of mush-buds.
- Using the broccoli stalk provides important crunchy texture, and their sweetness helps to offset the potential bitterness of the florets. And they are good for you! Be sure to use a vegetable peeler to remove any tough outer layer of the stalk.
- Select an extra virgin olive oil that tastes “fruity”; and avoid ones that are too “peppery” or “grassy”.
- Plan in advance to serve this salad. It requires several hours of marinating to bring out the best flavor. So prepare in the morning for dinner, or even the night before. It’s all good.
Broccoli-Apricot Salad
INGREDIENTS
Salad
- 4 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces, about 3/ 4”-ish
- Approximately 1 cup of tender broccoli stalk, sliced into 1/ 8” x 3/ 4” strips
- 1/ 2 cup red onion, diced
- 1/ 2 cup dried apricots, cut into about 1/ 2” pieces
- 1/ 2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons Blenheim apricot-infused white balsamic vinegar, or see advance notes
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
- 2 – 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, a “fruitier” one, not a “peppery” one. (I use less as I like more acidity for this salad.)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
- Prepare the salad dressing. Combine the vinegar, lemon juice and mustard in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until well-incorporated and hopefully slightly holding together (emulsified). Add salt and pepper and taste. You will want this dressing to be acidic to spark up the broccoli.
- Add the diced red onions and broccoli to the dressing and stir to combine. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for several hours minimum.
- When ready to serve, toss in the dried apricot pieces and toasted almonds.
Note: The easiest way to toast sliced almonds is on the stove top, over medium heat, in a small , shallow pan. It will only take about 4 to 5 minutes. Begin stirring constantly once the almonds begin to brown; and toast until most are a nice golden hue. Reduce the heat to low if they are browning too quickly or unevenly; and stir more frequently. Do not step away from the pan during this toasting process.
