PHOODIE’S BROCCOLI + PANCETTA SALAD 6

Now that we’re well into January, I think it’s safe to say that the festive season is OVER.

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. Sob. Sob. SOB.

I LOVE the festive season just as much as Bob next door (Holy Moly!!!!! I ACTUALLY do have a Bob next door, that’s hilarious! I PROMISE YOU, I LITERALLY typed that sentence and then realised “Oh my goodness, the guy next door’s name IS Bob!) but I understand that it’s time to move on. It’s time to go back to work. To pull down the Chrissy tree. It’s time to eat a little healthier too!

I wouldn’t say this is an ULTRA healthy salad i.e. spinach, tomato, cucumber and no dressing level healthy, but there’s a billion kilos of broccoli in it and it’s dressed really simply with lemon juice and olive oil.

A nice one for Summer.

ENJOY!

INGREDIENTS (To make MAMMOTH salad that serves 12 as a side)

12 cups broccoli – chopped up (see pics)

450 grams pancetta – diced

1 and 1/2 cups currants

1 and 1/2 cups pine nuts – toasted

1 cup olive oil

3 lemons – juice of

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

3 teaspoons raw sugar

METHOD

1) Toast your pine nuts in the oven by scattering them on a baking paper lined tray and putting them under the grill at 180 deg cel for abouttttttt4 minutes (or until they turn golden brown) WATCH LIKE A HAWK, THESE BURN IN SECONDS!

2) Cut broccoli into inch sized pieces and blanch in boiling water for a minute or so. You want them to retain their colour and crunch.

3) Have an ice bath ready to dump the broccoli in once it’s cooked – this stops the cooking process and leaves the little trees fresh, bright and crunchy – just how they should be!

4) Dice and fry off the pancetta over a medium heat on the stove top in a DASH of olive oil, until crispy. Drain on paper towel.

5) Remove broccoli from ice bath when ready to put salad together, dress it in olive oil, salt, sugar, pepper and lemon juice. Toss thoroughly.

6) Add nuts, currants and pancetta and toss.

7) As the broccoli tends to “drink up” the dressing, I always make an extra batch and serve it alongside so people can add more if they like. This keeps in the fridge in a jar for CENTURIES if you don’t use it on the day.

STEP BY STEP SNAPS

THE PINE NUTS

THE BROCCOLI

THE PANCETTA

DRESSING THE BROCCOLI

PUTTING IT TOGETHER

EAT ME!