Jens’ Broccoli Salad

I was given this recipe on a beach in Thailand. We were sitting around, as you do, discussing this,  that, and a little bit about food with a Danish guy called Jens.

He suddenly leapt up and rushed off to get a pen and paper so that he could give me the best ever broccoli salad – all the rage in Denmark he said and seriously good. I wrote his instructions down and carefully stashed the recipe to try when I got home. It’s pretty good and salads are so welcome in this wild weather. They keep the antibodies alert!

The original recipe is made with Miracle Whip – which I reckon must be a kind of salad cream/mayonnaisy affair. I substituted the Miracle Whip with mayonnaise and stirred in a tablespoon of red wine vinegar and a couple of tablespoons of sour cream. It tasted good. The original salad was also topped with a scattering of crispy bacon bits which would probably be a good addition if you’re into  meat.

Jens Broccoli Salad

1 head broccoli

1 medium red onion

1 handful raisins

1 handful pinenuts

1 egg yolk

1 tsp Dijon mustard

about 200mls rapeseed or sunflower oil

50mls olive oil

1 tbs red wine vinegar

2tbs sour cream

Heat a small pan and gently toast the pine nuts. Empty them out of the pan as soon as they are lightly golden and leave to cool then make the dressing.

Put the egg yolk and mustard into a bowl and whisk together. Slowly drizzle in the oil, whisking continuously so that they emulsify. If the oil is visible stop drizzling the oil and whisk until it’s incorporated then continue. Add the tablespoon of red wine vinegar and the sour cream. Season with salt and pepper.

If it is very thick thin by whisking in a little warm water. Stir the pine nuts and raisins into the dressing and put aside for about one hour.

Peel the onion, cut it in half then slice thinly. Sprinkle with a little salt and give them a quick rub.

Wash the broccoli , drain well then chop it into roughly 2cm florets.

Put the broccoli and onion into a big bowl then pour the dressing over and mix well. Leave for an hour if you can.

I was hungry so I mixed it and ate it. It would probably be even better if left to marinate before eating.