The Ultimate (and Simple) Warm Broccoli Salad Recipe

Totally simple recipe here, nothing too fancy, but some great flavors and easy to prepare.  These are the sorts of recipes that I love to make when I don’t have a lot of time on my hands, because I can literally have them ready in 10 minutes, and it’s a wholesome, satisfying meal.  I add the egg for some protein, and you could certainly add in some bacon or other protein as well, but I decided to keep it simple.

The key to sauteing broccoli I’ve found is to cook it properly.  You want to start it off over high heat to give it a good sear, then lower the heat and cook it slowly to tenderize it, sometimes with some liquid like wine or stock.  I also love to cook the stems, and can’t stand to see people throwing them out.  I think they have a fantastic consistency and merit using…so next time, try cooking them in your dish and don’t throw them away!  Here’s an idea for your next couple stalks of broccoli:

2 medium sized stalks of broccoli – florets chopped and stems roughly chopped
1 medium white onion – thinly sliced lengthwise
1 egg

2 cloves of garlic – smashed and diced
1/3 – 1/2 cup of dry white wine – something you would drink
1-2 Tbsp. white wine or champagne vinegar
2-3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
(optional) Crushed red pepper flakes
(optional) A few lardons (thin slices of bacon)

Pretty easy assembly here – start with prepping the broccoli, making sure it’s chopped along with the onions and garlic.  Start with a saute pan over medium/high heat and add a good glug of olive oil – enough to coat HALF of the bottom of the pan.  Add in the onions and broccoli and season with some salt.  Cook over the higher heat for a 2-3 minutes and then add in the garlic.

Stir frequently to make sure the veg doesn’t burn.  Once the vegetables become rather tender, lower the heat a little bit and add in the wine.  You can estimate all of the above measurements by the way – you’re looking to add around a small glass of wine into the pan.

Once the wine has evaporated, likely 4-5 minutes, kick the heat back up a bit and then crack the egg into the pan.  Season with a little more salt and pepper and then stir the egg vigorously into the rest of the dish.  Finish the dish with the vinegar and a little bit more olive oil and adjust the seasoning to taste.  Serve immediately and enjoy!