Having loved the vegetable myself since childhood, my personal theory (with all due respect to the memory of Grandma Bush) is that those who feel compelled to malign broccoli have simply never eaten it properly prepared. Served raw, this staple of veggie platters can indeed be bitter and dry at times, even if slathered in dip. When cooked, just the briefest over-exposure to heat turns broccoli mushy and tasteless, while further overcooking renders it downright slimy and gross.
Thankfully, among my own mother's many culinary talents has long been the ability to fix and serve broccoli in any number of wonderful ways, and we grew up eating (and enjoying) it frequently. Lightly steamed, it tasted great on its own or mixed in with other cooked vegetables like carrots and cauliflower. Tiny pieces of it raw, always super crisp from the fridge, would show up in fresh tossed salads. Occasionally, we were treated to it after a quick roasting in the oven, served with a creamy cheese sauce over baked chicken breasts.
Because my own childhood did not include the broccoli trauma apparently experienced by many less fortunate souls, rarely a week of my adulthood has gone by without a bunch or two of broccoli making it into the grocery cart. These days, Scott and I practically eat it by the bushel, most often oven roasted after a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of minced garlic.
Not too long ago, however, wanting a make-ahead vegetable salad to serve with cheeseburgers for dinner, I suddenly recalled a broccoli salad recipe of my mother's, yet another way we had happily scarfed down broccoli as kids. A quick phone call confirmed my recollection of how to make the three ingredient dish and, since then, I have churned out more than one batch of this awesome chilled salad.
The salad, as noted, contains just three ingredients: broccoli, eggs and Marzetti brand slaw dressing. The broccoli is chopped into salad-size pieces, with the stem pieces separated from the pieces of the flower heads for cooking purposes (a simple but clever idea, since the flowers require less cooking time).
Starting with the stems, and then adding the flower pieces a few minutes later, the broccoli is quickly cooked until just crisp-tender and, once slightly cooled, tossed with the slaw dressing and chunky pieces of hardboiled eggs. The prep is also efficient: the eggs can be boiled while chopping the broccoli and then, while the broccoli cooks, the eggs can be peeled and chopped. It takes about twenty minutes to throw together, then a couple of hours to chill, and it could not be easier or more delicious.
Broccoli Salad
1 1/2 lbs. fresh broccoli, cut into large bite size pieces, and separated by stems and flowers
5 hardboiled eggs, peeled and chopped
approximately 3/4 cup Marzetti All Natural Slaw Dressing (we use the "lite" version)
Place pieces of broccoli stems in medium sized pot, cover with two to three inches of water. Bring water to a boil on high heat. Once boiling, cover and reduce heat to medium, and cook broccoli stems over a rapid simmer for about four minutes. Add chopped broccoli flower pieces, increase heat to high, returning water to boil. Once boiling, cook broccoli for about two more minutes, or until just fork tender (do not overcook). Drain broccoli in a large colander, and rinse with cold water to prevent further cooking. Place very well drained broccoli in a large container or bowl, add chopped hard boiled eggs, then pour slaw dressing over and mix gently to coat. (Note: use just enough dressing to lightly coat the broccoli and egg mixture, but do not drown it in dressing, as the mixture will become more liquid as the broccoli sits. If needed, additional dressing can always be added just prior to serving.) Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours before serving.
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