Broccoli as the main event in a bright and cheerful salad gives us a break from the ubiquitous lettuce, as if some or other of the Salad Gods had decreed in the green mists of antiquity that There Must Be Lettuce In Salad. But no, there need not be.

Key, though, is to blanch the broccoli florets and refresh them before tipping them into the salad bowl. Broccoli is ungiving to the tooth without blanching. And the process beefs up this brassica’s arresting green beauty, making for a spectacle in the bowl. Pop some pert halved baby Roma tomatoes in there for contrast both in flavour and colour. Pickled ginger is usually found on the Asian products shelves in stores.

Ingredients

1 large head of broccoli

12 baby Roma tomatoes, halved

Small handful salted cashews, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

3 Tbsp pickled ginger, chopped

4 Tbsp olive oil

3 Tbsp pickled ginger brine

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

Salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Method

Cut the broccoli florets off the core and discard the latter. Drop them into lightly salted briskly boiling water and boil for 2 minutes.

Pour into a colander over the sink and immediately run cold water through it, dispersing the water over the broccoli through your hands. This prevents the force of the water from damaging the broccoli. Drain thoroughly.

Halve the baby tomatoes and chop the garlic finely. Slice the pickled ginger into small strips.

In a small bowl, mix the pickled ginger brine with the red wine vinegar and olive oil. Stir in the chopped garlic and season with salt and black pepper.

Tip the broccoli florets into a salad bowl and scatter the halved little tomatoes over. Scatter the pickled ginger. Sprinkle with chopped cashews and drizzle the dressing over. We had it as a side dish to a splendid marinated picanha, the recipe for which is coming soon, promise… DM/TGIFood

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