Broccoli Slaw

One of the curses AND gifts of being a private chef is that you have the freedom to make different foods everyday and to experiment with new recipes or ideas that intrigue you. I have made so many different types of slaws over the years-a few from glossy photos in magazines, some from those old timey church lady cookbooks, Instagram-inspired slaws (of late), and occasionally you make a slaw out of whatever it is that you can find in the vegetable bin at that particular moment. 

On Nantucket this summer, the combination of terrible winter weather, cold and endless spring and foggy/damp summer has affected the growing season. While we are still not seeing field tomatoes at the farm stands, I have seen broccoli, and it is gorgeous! So, to make a long story short, here’s broccoli slaw!  

 Kitchen Sink Broccoli Slaw 

Ingredients 

About two cups or so of broccoli florets, cut as tiny as you dare

A large carrot, grated over the largest holes of the box grater

1/2 each of a green and red pepper, in a tiny dice

A good handful of red onion, also in a tiny dice, soaked in a few tablespoons of red wine vinegar for 5 minutes and saved (see below)

Dressing

1/3 C buttermilk

1/3 C Mayo (mine was homemade garlic aioli from another recipe) 

1/4 C of red wine vinegar (include the vinegar you will drain from the onions)

A very healthy squirt of honey-I used hot honey, which is chili infused and costs the world at a fancy food shop

Two big fistfuls of fresh green herbs-parsley, cilantro, chives, tarragon, mint? Be bold and decide for yourself! 

Salt and pepper to taste  

Slivered almonds or any other nut, toasted to throw on top if you like (I had some and forgot!) 

Method 

Gently combine the salad ingredients and then whisk together the dressing ingredients and taste-add more acid or sweet as necessary. Thin with a little water if it seems too thick. Dress the salad carefully-start with less and add a bit at a time to avoid the overdress! Pile it in a bowl and chill. If you have something crunchy to top it with, do that right before you serve