Jamie: "One of the cowgirls I met said she struggled for ideas at mealtimes because the men weren't overly keen on eating veg. However, she did say one of the things they would eat was broccoli salad. Every diner and restaurant in Cody seemed to have one on the menu, so I created this version, which is absolutely delicious and hits all the right spots. When I cooked it for a group of ranchers there was none left by the end of the night. Success!"
1. Use a small knife to remove the broccoli florets and cut them up into smaller ones. Basically, this is your opportunity to make the broccoli really delicate and more salady-looking, so spend a bit of time doing this. You'll be left with the stalk, so discard the thick dry base, then cut the remaining stalk in half lengthways and finely slice.
2. Blanch your broccoli florets and sliced stalks really quickly in boiling salted water for 60 seconds, just long enough to soften the broccoli but still leave it with a bit of a bite. Drain it in a colander, then spread it around a clean tea towel to steam dry (this is important because it will help the dressing cling to the broccoli). Once completely dry, transfer to a serving dish.
3. Fry the bacon on a medium heat with a small splash of olive oil until crisp and golden, then spoon most of the bacon bits over your broccoli. Any leftover fat in the pan can be used in your salad dressing. Pour it into a mixing bowl with all the other dressing ingredients and whisk.
4. Add the sliced tomatoes and chopped chives to your broccoli and bacon bits. Dress it all really well, and check the seasoning. If it needs pimping up, add a splash more vinegar. If you've got any chive flowers, sprinkle those over the top and serve straight away. It's beautiful on its own or served next to any grilled or roasted meat or fish.
PS: I also like to toss things like diced feta cheese or chopped fresh chilli through this salad. Different-coloured cherry tomatoes are really nice too.
Wine suggestion: Italian white – a Falanghina from the south
Not quite what you were looking for? Try these:
Jamie's end of season tomato salad
Five bean salad with quail egg
Ceasar salad
Warm spinach salad
Feta and mango and lime salad
Most popular Jamie Oliver recipes:
Pork belly roast
Bone-out shoulder roast
Bone-in shoulder roast
Chilli con carne
Parmesan chicken breasts with crispy posh ham
Recipe taken from Jamie's America
© Jamie Oliver 2009
Photography Copyright © 2009 David Loftus.
Jamie's off on the culinary journey of a lifetime as he travels around the US
Enjoy food shows past and present FREE on your PC with 4 on Demand
Hungry for more? Check out all the tasty recipes from Jamie Oliver
.jpg)
.jpg)
Your Comments
Post your comment
Please note: In order to post a comment you need to be registered and logged in to Channel 4:
Sign In Here or Register Here
Comments closed
Comments are closed at the present time
Comments
Thank you for your comment!
Your message will be reviewed and the best ones will be published below.
If you intended to make an official comment to Channel 4 please contact us.
Comments