1tbspgood quality vinegar(such as white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar)
salt
freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Bring a big pot of water to a boil and season it heavily with salt, like you would a pasta water. If you taste a spoonful, it should taste as salty as the ocean.
Add the broccoli florets to the water and cook for 60 seconds, until bright green in color.
Immediately drain the broccoli florets, then rinse with cold water for 2 minutes, until the broccoli has cooled down.
Transfer the broccoli to a salad spinner, and spin the broccoli dry. Then blot dry further with a kitchen towel, to prevent any excess water from diluting the dressing.
Combine the broccoli with the toasted walnuts, raisins, bacon, onion, mayonnaise, vinegar, and 1/4 tsp each of salt and black pepper (or to taste). Stir well.
If desired, let the broccoli salad chill in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes before serving, to make it colder and allow the flavors to meld. Enjoy!
Notes
*If you find raw red onion to be too harsh for you, place the thinly sliced red onion in a bowl and cover it with the vinegar or ice water. Let this soak for 10 minutes to take the pungent burn away from the red onion, then drain the liquid away from the onions. It can now be added to the salad.Storing leftovers: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.Freezing: Not recommended, as the texture will suffer too much.Warming: If you prefer to eat this dish closer to room temperature, take it out of the fridge 30-60 minutes before serving.Make-ahead instructions: This recipe is very make-ahead friendly. Though it will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days, I recommend not making it more than 2 days ahead of time, for optimal flavors and textures.Substitutions: The pairings here are my favorite combination of ingredients. However, feel free to try swaps like sunflower seeds, toasted pecans, golden raisins, dried cranberries, shallots, scallions, or shredded cheddar cheese.