Broccoli Pearl Crunch Salad

Also known as Chopped Broccoli Salad with Pearl Couscous and Nutty Salami Fry-Up with Red Wine Honey Vinegar Dressing. Thought that was a bit lengthy so I christened it Broccoli Pearl Crunch Salad instead. 🙂 Dig in with a spoon!!

Introducing the Broccoli Pearl Crunch Salad!

I find it’s often a stretch to get people excited about a broccoli salad – especially when you tell people it’s raw.

But this is not your usual broccoli salad.

Firstly, the broccoli is chopped up into little small pieces (oddly satisfying to do, because when do you ever chop broccoli like you do herbs?!) then marinated in the dressing so it’s flavour-soaked-tender-crisp broccoli (fan!) rather than grassy-fibrous-raw (not a fan).

Secondly, to dial up the interest factor, we are not making your regular mayo-laden broccoli salad. This has a fresh zingy vinaigrette and loaded with extras that sound like a random mash up but actually works so well together – fried up salami, almonds, dried cranberries, red onion, garlic and parmesan. So you get nutty-salty-oily-sweet-tart-savory-garlicky goodness in a big spoonable salad.

It’s seriously good!

PS The shrivelled up chewy dried cranberries are plumped just by throwing them into the couscous boiling water for 30 seconds. Once you’ve plumped, you’ll never go back!

Ingredients in Broccoli Pearl Crunch Salad

Here’s what you need to make this. Worth noting that the dressing does triple duty here: marinating the broccoli (takes hard raw edge off plus adds flavour), flavour soaking the couscous and the normal job of dressing the salad!

1. THE SALAD PART

• Broccoli – You’ll need 1 1/2 medium heads or 2 small heads to make up 4 cups of small chopped broccoli required in this salad. I use the florets and floret stems, though if you’re short you can use the thick broccoli stem too (peel and dice small).

• Pearl couscous – The other star ingredient in today’s salad! It’s the larger form of the more common tiny couscous, also known as gourmet and Israeli couscous. When cooked, they’re like slippery little pearls of pasta – hence the name!

  Substitute with risoni/orzo or any other tiny pasta about that size, or 2 1/4 cups cooked rice (any) or quinoa, farro, barley etc.

• Red wine vinegar – This is to tenderise the broccoli to take the hard raw edge off it a bit. We also use some of the Dressing but that alone isn’t enough, vinegar is what softens the broccoli. Think – ceviche, and how raw fish is “cooked” with lime juice. That’s essentially what we’re doing here.

  Substitute – white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, sherry vinegar.

• Dried cranberries – I like using cranberries in salads because they’re sweet but also tart, whereas most other dried fruits are just sweet. I also like the red colour they add to salads. However, any other dried cranberry-shaped fruit will work fine in this recipe – sultanas, currents etc.

• Almonds – I actually did apply thought to nut choice (I know, shocking!😅) and chose almonds because of the neat shape so you can see them a bit better than, say, pistachios which would get lost in the jumble. Having said that, you could really use your favourite nut you think will work with these flavours – pistachios and pecans spring to mind, and sunflower seeds or pepitas for a nut free option.

• Salami – For salty, oily pops. Partly because that’s what I had (instead of the usual bacon option). And also partly because the spiced meaty oily flavour adds a stack of extra flavour into this salad! Bacon will work but I’d probably cook it then remove before cooking the almonds and onions else the bacon flavour may be a little too dominant in the overall dish.

  For a meat-free option, I actually think small cubes of cheddar cheese could serve a similar purpose, or even extra feta. Or just leave the salami out for a lighter side-salad option.

• Red onion and garlic – For aromatic freshness, pan fried in the salami oil.

• Parmesan – To sprinkle on, for serving. Substitute with crumbled feta.

2. DRESSING

This dressing has a much higher 2:3 vinegar to oil ratio than regular Western dressings so the salad won’t weigh you down with an overly greasy dressing, plus the dish gets fat from the salami. A smidge of honey takes the sharp edge off and a dab of Dijon helps it thicken.

• Red wine vinegar – Less harsh than regular white vinegar with extra flavour layers from the wine. See above under Salad for alternatives.

• Honey – Substitute with maple syrup or sugar.

• Dijon Mustard – Helps thicken so it clings better, plus flavour.

• Extra virgin olive oil – I break out the good stuff for salad dressings. 🙂

• Garlic – Mince it using a garlic press or grate.

• Lemon – We only use the zest for a touch of lovely brightness in this salad. Not critical, it’s a nice to have.

How to make Broccoli Pearl Crunch Salad

The salad dressing here serves a triple purpose. We marinate the broccoli in it – just 30 minutes softens it slightly and takes the raw crunchy-edge off it (as noted above, not a fan!). And we also toss the pearl couscous in the Dressing while it’s hot so it absorbs the flavour – standard operating procedure with pasta salads in my world!

And lastly, we use the dressing for the regular purpose – for dressing this salad!

1. Shake the Dressing in a jar.

2. Chop the broccoli into small pieces, small enough so you can scoop a few up in a spoon. Chop the floret stems a little smaller (so you don’t get giant chunks of firmer stem).

   My method (video is helpful) – I chop like I do herbs. Slice wads of florets into ~1/2cm / 0.2″ thick slices, spread out on the board then run the knife through, chopping until you have small pieces. Measure out 4 cups and put in a large bowl, and be sure to scrape all the tiny little green broccoli confetti pieces in (looks like finely chopped herbs!).

3. Marinate broccoli – Toss the broccoli with salt, red wine vinegar and 2 tablespoons of the Dressing. I add a little extra vinegar because it’s stronger at softening raw broccoli than the oil-based dressing alone.

4. Couscous and plumped cranberries – Bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Boil couscous for 5 minutes or until al dente, adding the dried cranberries for the last 30 seconds – they will plump up very quickly.

5. Flavour soak couscous – Drain well then return the hot couscous into the saucepan and toss with some Dressing. Leave aside for 10 minutes so it absorbs the flavour.

6. Salami fry up – In a non stick pan, give the salami a 90 second head start then add the almonds and onion. Cook for a couple of minutes to toast the almonds (brings out the flavour) and soften the onion, then add garlic and cook for another 1 minute. Add to the broccoli bowl and cool for 10 minutes.

   Note: The salami won’t go crispy, because of all the other stuff in the pan. I know crispy salami is appealing but I promise you won’t miss it here, the broccoli and almonds provide plenty of crunchy texture.

7. Toss! Add the couscous and all the dressing into the bowl, then toss well.

8. Serve – Either divide between bowls or tumble into a large serving bowl. Garnish with grated parmesan then serve!

I do find it oddly satisfying that this can be eaten with a spoon rather than stabbing pieces of florets with a fork. It’s not the first time I’ve shared how much spoon-eating salads appeal to me and probably won’t be the last!

Serve this as a meal – it’s hearty enough – or a hearty side salad. Yesterday I made salmon bowls with this broccoli salad topped with salmon (pan seared with just salt and pepper) broken into big chunks, a sunny side up egg and finished with some homemade chilli crisp. Yes, we’re working on our own homemade chilli crisp recipe (when I say “we”, I am loosely including myself here, the legwork is being done by RTM Chef Hannah who comes from a long line of Chinese chefs!).

But, back to today’s recipe……😂Hope you enjoy! – Nagi x

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Watch how to make it

Life of Dozer

Cautiously emerging after 11 days under the weather……🥰

Made me so happy when he shuffled into the kitchen to watch impatiently as I dared to make myself a coffee before making his breakfast!!!