This salad is very green. We loaded up on avocado while our member who hates avocado (what? I know.) was out of town. Even the pistachios are camouflaged green.
When blanching the broccoli I like to use the boiling water for another use, like pasta for dinner, so that’s something to keep in mind and plan for. It seem like such a waste to boil water to just cook broccoli for 1 minute. I use this colander scoop to just scoop out all the broccoli pieces instead of draining the water. The water may be a bit green, but still usable for things like pasta.
Adapted from 101cookbooks.
Ingredients
makes 4 servings
- 1 medium head of romaine lettuce
- 1 medium head of broccoli, florets and stalks cut into small bite-sized pieces
- 2-3 small avocado, sliced
- 1/3 cup toasted pistachios
- a bit of crumbled feta
Dressing:
- 1 shallot, peeled and diced
- 2-3 teaspoons of dried tarragon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- a squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil, add the broccoli and simmer for just a minute or so until the broccoli is bright and just tender. Drain, run under cold water to stop cooking, pat dry with a clean cloth, and set aside.
Trim the base off the head of romaine, then slice it crosswise into 1/2-inch strips of lettuce. Wash well and dry gently but completely. Set aside someplace cold until ready to use. Whisk together dressing ingredients.
Just before serving, in a large bowl, combine the broccoli, lettuce, and pistachios with a generous slug of vinaigrette. Toss well, add the avocado, and gently toss once or twice more. Serve topped with the feta, and a pinch of salt if needed.
