Cooking web notes

Broccoli and Olive Salad

In the winter time, I occasionally like a salad other than the traditional lettuce salad drowned in dressing.  No offense to lettuce but sometimes, particularly in winter, it seems like rabbit food to me.  This salad is almost like a side dish that can be enjoyed with your meal, not as an appetizer before your meal.  Broccoli and olive salad is a perfect salad to make ahead as it retains its texture and the flavors heighten on standing.  The recipe is simple to make, so tasty and goes great with about anything.  Broccoli salad is a great addition to anyone’s diet with all the nutritional qualities of broccoli; it is a real super food.

The olives and capers give the salad a zip while blanching the broccoli helps it to retain its color and softens the florets.  Just be sure not to overcook the broccoli!  It only takes a quick blanch.  The broccoli will be firm for the salad and will not taste raw. 

Most broccoli salads have a creamy high calorie dressing however, this is a great low calorie, low carb delicious salad.  It’s a fresh crunchy garlicky salad and a great way to eat one of the healthiest vegetables!

Broccoli and Olive Salad

1 small head broccoli, florets cut off or 1 bag florets

1 large garlic clove, minced finely

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar, or to taste

1 tablespoon capers, drained

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon seasoned pepper (I use more)

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 celery stalks, sliced thinly

3 green onions, sliced thinly

6 pimiento-stuffed Spanish olives, sliced

Cook broccoli in lightly salted boiling water for 2-3 minutes until crisp-tender. Do not overcook.

Drain, rinse under cold water.

Combine the dressing ingredients.

Add broccoli and olives.  Toss lightly to coat evenly.

Refrigerate for an hour or two before serving.

This is a filling salad that smacks of a variety of flavors!

This entry was posted on Sunday, September 4, 2011 at 6:52 AM and is filed under Broccoli, Capers, Olives, Onions, Salads. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response.