SESAME-CURED BROCCOLI SALAD
“Melissa Clark’s recipe for this broccoli salad had me intrigued because, boy, do I have a slew of broccoli salads in my repertoire!
The method of the vinegar and oil ‘curing’ the raw broccoli to a bright green has seduced me. I could eat the whole bowl!”
Serves 6 to 8
EASY
GREAT VALUE Preparation: 15 minutes, plus 1 hour’s standing time
red wine vinegar 2t
Maldon salt 1 t, plus more to taste broccoli 2 heads, sliced as thinly as possible olive oil ¾ cup garlic 4 large cloves, minced cumin seeds 2t sesame oil 2t chili flakes a large pinch
1 Mix the vinegar and salt in a large heatproof bowl. Add the sliced broccoli and toss to combine. 2 Heat the olive oil in a pan over a medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cumin seeds and cook, stirring continually, until fragrant, for about 1 minute. Do not let the garlic burn. If necessary, remove the pan from the heat and let the garlic and cumin cook in the residual heat of the oil. 3 Stir in the sesame oil and the chilli flakes, pour the mixture over the broccoli and toss well to coat. Allow the salad to sit for at least an hour at room temperature for the flavours to develop and the broccoli to “cure” in the flavoured oil. The salad can be refrigerated for up to 48 hours. Before serving, taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve at room temperature.
CARB-CONSCIOUS, FAT-CONSCIOUS, HEALTH-CONSCIOUS, DAIRY-FREE, MEAT-FREE, WHEAT- AND GLUTEN-FREE WINE: Woolworths Ken Forrester Viognier 2019 olive oil 4T medium onions 2, chopped garlic 3 cloves, minced ginger 1 x 2 cm piece, minced ground coriander 1t ground cumin 1t fennel seeds 1t chilli flakes ½t tomato paste 4T ripe fresh tomatoes (preferably plum) 5, diced or (1 x 400 g can chopped tomatoes) soya sauce 2T sugar or honey 1T salt 1t white pepper, to taste vegetable oil 4T medium cabbage 1, sliced into 8 wedges with the core intact (it keeps the wedges together) water ½ cup
Greek yoghurt ½ cup, for serving dill, a few sprigs, picked, for serving
1 Fry the onion, garlic and ginger in the olive oil over a medium-high heat until the onion is translucent, about 8–10 minutes. Add the coriander, cumin, fennel and chilli and fry for a further 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Add the tomato paste, fresh or canned tomatoes, soya sauce, sugar, salt, and pepper. Let the sauce bubble away for a further 15 minutes over a low heat until it thickens slightly. Pour the tomato sauce into a baking dish (preferably with a lid) that you will use for the caramelised cabbage.
2 In a large pan, heat the vegetable oil and fry the cabbage wedges, cut side down, over a high heat until they caramelise on the edges, about 3–5 minutes on each side. If the wedges disintegrate slightly, use tongs to piece them together into the dish on top of the tomato sauce. 3 When all are done, pour the water around the cabbage wedges and drizzle the dish with splash of olive oil. Season the whole dish with salt and pepper. 4 Put the lid on the dish or cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 180°C. Remove the lid or foil and bake uncovered for a further 10–15 minutes. The cabbage will be incredibly soft. Serve with the yoghurt, dill, and a drizzle of chilli sauce if you are so inclined. CARB-CONSCIOUS, FAT-CONSCIOUS, HEALTH-CONSCIOUS, MEAT-FREE
WINE: Woolworths Paul Cluver
Riesling 2019