Broccoli Salad

From Cook's Illustrated.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

Most recipes for this salad leave the broccoli raw, but we found that cooking it briefly in boiling water improved both flavor and appearance. Adding the hardier stems to the cooking water before the florets levels the playing field, so both are tender at the same time. Drying the broccoli in… read more

SERVES 4 TO 6

When prepping the broccoli, keep the stems and florets separate. If you don’t own a salad spinner, lay the broccoli on a clean kitchen towel to dry in step 3. You can make the salad up to six hours in advance.

INGREDIENTS

• 6slices bacon, chopped fine
• 1/2cup golden raisins
• 1 1/2pounds broccoli, florets cut into 1-inch pieces, stalks peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1/2cup mayonnaise
• 1tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2cup walnuts, toasted and chopped coarse
• 1large shallot, minced

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 
   
   1. Cook bacon in 10-inch skillet over medium heat until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain on paper towel–lined plate.
   2. Combine 4 cups water and 4 cups ice in large bowl. Bring 3 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven. Remove ½ cup boiling water and combine with raisins in small bowl; cover, let sit for 5 minutes, and drain.
   3. Meanwhile, add broccoli stalks to boiling water and cook for 1 minute. Add florets and cook until slightly tender, about 1 minute. Drain broccoli and place in ice water to cool. Drain again, transfer to salad spinner, and spin dry.
   4. Whisk mayonnaise, vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper together in large bowl. Add broccoli, raisins, walnuts, and shallot to bowl with dressing and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with bacon and serve.