On the Menu
Broccoli walnut salad
This broccoli walnut salad takes walnuts across the pond to Asia - by sweating the walnuts in sesame oil, then candying them with soy sauce, sugar and balsamic vinegar, you give them an unusual Asian taste. We served this salad to friends of Irish and Chinese extraction and everyone raved about it, especially the nuts.
Some of the ingredients in this broccoli walnut salad are a bit esoteric - and you can probably substitute a simpler equivalent. I just used what was handy. Of note:
- Black sesame seeds have a slightly stronger taste and are crunchier than ordinary white or brown sesame seeds, but above all they add a great color contrast to salads of brightly colored vegetables. Substitute with regular (or preferably, brown) sesame seeds if you can't find black.
- Toasted sesame oil has a strong sesame flavor that adds an Asian flair to this broccoli walnut salad. You can use ordinary vegetable oil to toast the walnuts instead but expect more muted flavors.
- A shallot is a small, milder versions of a cooking onion. We use them in many salad recipes (and not for much of anything else). If you don't have shallots handy you can substitute a scallion (or green onion - which I think is the same thing!). You can find shallots in most large supermarkets or gourmet food stores with a good produce section - they are often in a small bag of red mesh, so that cashiers don't accidentally ring them in as (much cheaper) onions.
- Hemp seed oil is an excellent salad oil - high in omega fatty acids, which are essential for your health. You should always keep hemp seed oil, or any other oil containing omega fatty acids, in the refrigerator, and the dressing once made should be kept cool and in the dark until served, as both warmth and sunlight destroy the health benefits of this oil.
- Toasted walnut oil is a specialty oil, often imported from France, which has a slight walnut flavor that will enhance this broccoli walnut salad. You can just use regular old olive oil if you don't have toasted walnut oil, but it is a useful addition to the kitchen of anyone who is serious about homemade salad dressings.
- Himilayan salt crystals are popular with raw foodists. Since we've recently been venturing into raw food we had a supply of this fancy, slightly pink salt available - but of course any salt will do. And of course, this recipe doesn't qualify as raw food - since the walnuts are candied at high heat!
Can be prepared several hours in advance - and you can even toss the dressing in early, as the acid will help soften the broccoli and peppers.
The candied walnuts
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1. Heat the sesame oil in a small skillet on low heat. Toss in the walnuts.
2. Dissolve the sugar in the balsamic vinegar. Let the walnuts sweat for several minutes, until the meat begins to hiss, then toss in the vinegar-sugar mixture.
3. Raise the heat to medium high and stir the mixture briskly for several minutes while the liquid cooks away. Lower temperature progressively during this phase.
4. When the soy and vinegar have cooked mostly down and the mixture starts to become gooey, remove from heat.
5. Spread the nuts out on a sheet of wax paper, separating them into individual pieces or small clumps (this is an optional step - you can also just break the lump up later when it solidifies)
6. Once the nuts have cooled and the candy coating has hardened, break any large clumps up with your fingers. Place the candied walnuts in a small serving bowl.
The salad
2 bunches broccoli, florets only
2 sweet red peppers
1 yellow pepper
5 sprigs parsley
1 small shallot
1 Tbsp black sesame seeds
1. Cut the florets from the broccoli. Pieces should be about the size of a cherry. Place in salad bowl.
2. Core the peppers, remove stems, seeds and pith. Cut lengthwise into thin strips, then crosswise into inch-long pieces. Add to salad bowl.
3. Mince the shallot and add to salad bowl.
4. Mince the parsley and add as well.
5. Add the black sesame seeds.
The dressing
3 tablespoons hemp seed oil
2 tablespoons toasted walnut oil
1 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of one lemon
1/2 tsp Himilayan salt crystals
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
1. Mix the dressing ingredients together briskly.
2. Toss onto the salad and stir until the broccoli and peppers are well coated with dressing.
Serving
Let people help themselves to the broccoli walnut salad, then pass the bowl of walnuts around. Note that kids may find the walnut flavor a bit intense, but then lots of kids won't go near broccoli either!
You may need to put the candied walnuts out of reach until dinner time, as you'll probably find people munching away on them addictively until they're half (or all) gone!
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