Broccoli Salad

The broccoli salad I remember from picnics is a crunchy melange of bacon, raisins, and broccoli smothered in mayonnaise. I may have enjoyed it when I was younger, but I like a lighter and fresher tasting version now. In this recipe, I've swapped out the mayo dressing for a significantly lighter lemon dressing, and blanched the broccoli to increase the vibrancy of the color while maintaining the crunch that I still find delightful. I've substituted a small amount of proscuitto for the bacon, but kept the raisins just as they are!

Ingredients:

2 cups broccoli florets
2 Tbs. raisins
1 slice proscuitto
2 Tbs. lemon salad dressing

Directions:

Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Add the broccoli and raisins and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, just until the broccoli turns a bright green and the raisins get nice and plump. Drain the broccoli and raisins in a colander under running, cold water. Cut the proscuitto into small bite size pieces. Heat a small non stick skillet over medium heat. Cook the proscuitto until it begins to crisp, just a minute or two. Mix the proscuitto with the broccoli and raisins, then pour the salad dressing over and serve. This may be served either warm, or may be refrigerated and served cold.

Serves 2 to 3

Stealthy Cooking Tip: I blanched the broccoli because I like the way it turns the broccoli a bright green - it's so pretty! Broccoli has so many good vitamins ... it's one of the powerhouse vegetables. It's especially high in Vit. C, K, and A, as well as folic acid. Broccoli is very perishable, storing it wet makes it go bad even more quickly. That said, store it unwashed, in the refrigerator. Wash just before use.