Fresh Broccoli Salad

I love broccoli.  I've been trying to find some new ways to make it for my family so they'll complain about having it a little bit less.  I watched Good Eats with Alton Brown earlier this week and it was a rerun of one on broccoli.  Yeah!  I've learned long ago you can't please everyone with a meal though I try.  My husband doesn't like raw vegetables and my daughter only likes raw vegetables.  But it is always hard to find good recipes with a raw vegetable.  Both my daughter and I really enjoyed this.  The broccoli is very thinly minced up so it isn't over powering with it being raw. The vinaigrette was awesome.  The tomatoes gave it fantastic flavor.  The recipe called for nuts but since my daughter doesn't like nuts I opted to not add them.  Plus, believe it or not I can't actually find fresh basil here in Japan so I had to use dried basil instead.  My daughter actually liked this so much she asked for a second helping of this, which really made me happy! 

Fresh Broccoli Salad

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 lemon, zested
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1 pound broccoli, rinsed, trimmed and very sliced thinly (on a mandolin if you have one)
6 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
3 ounces coarsely chopped, toasted pecans or hazelnuts *optional
2 tablespoons chiffonade fresh basil leaves

Whisk together the vinegar, zest, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper in a medium mixing bowl. While whisking constantly, gradually add the olive oil. Add the broccoli and toss to coat. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Stir in the tomatoes, hazelnuts and basil. Cover and allow to sit, at room temperature or in the refrigerator, for another 15 minutes before serving.