Broccoli Salad With Cheddar and Warm Bacon Vinaigrette

What a lovely alternative to the mayo based broccoli salads!

My only critique is that perhaps I didn't cook the bacon long enough (although it was at the level of crispness that I like). After making the dressing with the bacon in the pan it had turned a bit soggy. Next time I'll remove the bacon from the rendered fat, make the dressing and then sprinkle the bacon on with the cheese at the end.

I roasted the broccoli for 15 minutes at 450 degrees, tossing once midway through cooking, because I far prefer roasted vegetables to boiled or steamed. Used some excellent peppered bacon from Whole Foods and served on a bed of arugula and spinach. Excellent winter salad that I will make again.

I made it with raw broccoli and was thrilled at the wonders of my laziness! All good! And I used dried cranberries instead of the grapes, which as also terrific!

Leave the rendered fat in the pan...when you whisk in the mustard and vinegar it becomes the dressing.

Leave broccoli a little larger, 1 inch long and wide. Toss with olive oil S & P. Roast at 400 for 10 minutes and check for desired doneness. Used 1/2 cup pine nuts instead of pecans.
Remove bacon from saute pan after crisping and add lastly to salad.
Replace grapes with about 1/2 cup dried cranberies

I was testing this out for a possible Thanksgiving side, because it would be good at room temp. My family adored it. My daughter liked it even better the next day, warmed up so that the cheese melted a bit. She also suggested making it with cherry tomatoes instead of grapes. I'll try that next time.

Instead of blanching, try roasting the broccoli for 10- 15 minutes Other alternatives: -Dried cranberries instead of red grapes -Pine nuts or walnuts instead of pecans -Asiago, Ricotta Salata, or Cotija instead of cheddar

This is absolutely delicious, thanks to the previous commenters who suggested roasting and cranberries. I cannot and do not wish to imagine this with blanched broccoli, although I am not against blanched broccoli as a rule. (My first responsibility working in fine dining kitchens was as blanch boy.) But please, no blanching here. I had this with a bowl of steamed basmati, the nutty chewiness of which paired perfectly. And, though I’m quite the meat eater, I felt more than satisfied at meal’s end

Won't make again, but for those who want to try it I recommend: substitute dried cranberries for the grapes (which are not in season) and cut everything smaller (bacon, nuts and florets) to ensure a better melange on the fork.

Cranberries (dried) instead of grapes. Roast broccoli 10-15 minutes. Pine nuts instead of pecans. Asiago instead of cheddar

Is the rendered bacon fat discarded? Or kept and whisked together with the vinegar etc.?

This will get the pickiest eater to take seconds. I roasted the broccoli and used dried cranberries instead of grapes. There was enough rendered fat from the bacon so that adding extra olive oil wasn't necessary. I even poured off some of the bacon fat. I removed the crisp bacon when it was done and added it back in the serving bowl. We ate every last bite and would have eaten more.

prosciutto instead of bacon pomegranite instead of grapes this is a very nice change of pace

Step 3: set aside means "remove the pecans"; then do the bacon, etc., before returning the pecans to the skillet.

Leave the nuts and bacon out until the end and make sure bacon's crisp. I'd fry it in strips and then crumple. Add more bacon. And no need for more oil other than what comes out of the bacon. I think I'll try it again, because I think it should be fab. But it's actually a bit bland.