Pan-toasted cumin and fresh broccoli steal the show in this easy summer salad.
4-5 medium heads broccoli
1 cup mayo and/or Greek yogurt
2 limes, juiced
1 clove garlic, minced or finely grated
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Bragg’s Liquid Aminos or tamari soy sauce
1 teaspoons ground toasted cumin seeds (see below) or cumin powder or
chili powder
Fresh cracked pepper to taste
Pickled hot peppers, minced (optional)
Pan-toast the cumin seeds by putting several heaping tablespoons of whole cumin seeds in dry skillet on medium-low heat. Stir or flip the seeds carefully, off and on, for about 5-7 minutes, until they start to show a little sign of color, and are getting really aromatic. Don’t let them smoke or burn! Remove toasted seeds from pan and let cool completely before grinding them in a spice grinder. Coffee grinders reserved for processing herbs and spices work well for this type of job. I found a used one that I keep around just for spices, so I don’t adulterate my precious coffee beans! (You’ll have more ground cumin than you need for this one recipe, and it will remain freshest if you store it in a little jar in the fridge. Toasted cumin is fabulous in scrambled eggs, rice, beans, chili, etc.)
Prepare the dressing for the salad by whisking together the mayo/yogurt, lime juice, garlic, vinegar, salty liquid aminos/soy sauce, ground cumin, fresh cracked pepper and optional pickled hot peppers. Set aside and let the flavors meld while you prep the broccoli.
Mince or shred the broccoli, stems and all! This is a great job for a food processor if you have one with a shredding attachment. Peel the broccoli stems prior to shredding if needed.
Thoroughly toss dressing with shredded broccoli and taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed. This salad can be eaten immediately or left to marinade for a few hours or even a day before you dig in.