2013 hasn’t quite started at a leisurely pace.  I’ve found myself with the awkward armful of 3 jobs and a night class, and while I’m grateful for all of them, such a situation calls for a shift of focus in the kitchen.  While I’m still drawn towards the leisurely and the delicate (I’m thinking of you, delicious banana lime bread), right now I want the easily packable, no-fuss travelable, so-good-you-forget-what-time-it-is foods.  One such dish is from blogger Deb Perelman’s first (and best-selling) cookbook, “The Smitten Kitchen” – her broccoli slaw.

“Broccoli slaw” doesn’t do this salad justice.  I’m calling it a jeweled broccoli slaw instead.  Or a creamy broccoli salad with cranberries and almonds.  Or even simpler – my latest treat of choice.

Notes: Because I’m indecisive/curious, I chopped the broccoli into both matchsticks & coins – both worked out well but coins are faster.  If you’d like a lighter salad, half the mayo to thin the dressing; if you want more punch, add an extra handful of cranberries or a few extra grinds of pepper.  And while I made this with the buttermilk (sorry Dave), soy milk might swap in well to make the recipe lactose-free.

Broccoli Slaw

from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook

Ingredients

• 2 heads broccoli
• 1/2 cup almonds, toasted and thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries, chopped
• 1/2 cup buttermilk, well shaken
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
• lots of black pepper

—————————————————————-

1.  Place the buttermilk, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar and salt together in a small bowl.  Whisk to combine.  Add the onion, stir, and set aside.

2.  Chop broccoli stems into coins or matchsticks, and the broccoli heads into tiny, half-bite trees.  Place them in a medium bowl with the almonds and cranberries; toss to combine.  Drizzle the buttermilk dressing overtop and add pepper to taste.  Stir until dressing is evenly distributed.