Warm Broccoli & Bacon Caesar Salad

The only 'salad' you'll be wanting this winter - it's warm, it's wholesome and it's bloody delicious.

At 39, I’m happy to admit that I just don’t really like vegetables! Yup, I have the tastebuds of an 8 year old and, dare I say it, I don’t really like roast dinners due to the veg heavy portions.

But, get creative with veg or - in this case -slather them in deliciousness, add crispy bacon and golden little pine nuts, and I’ll happily eat them by the bowl load. And better yet - my teens don’t even complain about broccoli being the main event on their plates!

This is the perfect salad on its own, as a side dish, or my fave - with a potato pancake and fried egg! *chef’s kiss*

But this isn’t just about the salad - the dressing alone will be a huge bonus for your culinary arsenal. It can make the most simple of ingredients POP!

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To Watch the Instagram Reel of this Recipe Click HERE

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Serves: 2-4 (dependent on serving size) | Total Time: 40 Minutes

What you’ll need…

Salad

• 2 broccoli heads - cut into florets

• 6-8 rashers of streaky bacon - chopped into lardons/thin slices

• 1/2 small red onion - thinly sliced

• Handful of pine nuts

• handful of grated parmesan

Caesar Dressing

• 3 tbsp mayo

• 1tbsp lemon juice

• 2 tsp white miso paste

• 1/2 tsp anchovy paste

• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

• 2 small cloves of garlic, finely chopped/minced

• 4 tbsp olive oil

Plus 1 fist sized potato and 1 egg per person if serving with potato pancake and fried egg.

Method…

1. Preheat your oven to 200 (or just over 180 for fan ovens).

2. Toss the broccoli florets in a good drizzle of olive oil in a large bowl.

3. Lay the broccoli onto a baking tray; arrange the bacon bits on the remaining space; sprinkle over the red onion slices; drizzle the broccoli with a bit more olive oil and generously season with black pepper.

4. Pop your baking tray of amazingness into the oven for 20 minutes.

5. If you’re serving with potato pancakes (if not, skip to step 6) - prick your potatoes and pop them on a microwavable plate until soft (approx 8 minutes for 1; 12 minutes for 2; 16 minutes for 3; 20 minutes for 4).

6. Chuck all your dressing ingredients, along with a healthy dose of black pepper, into a jar and shake vigorously until all mixed. (If you don’t have a jar, whisk well in a bowl/jug).

7. After 20 minutes of baking, your broccoli and bacon should be tender, browned and slightly crispy. Remove from the oven and toss together to mix the flavours.

8. Sprinkle the pine nuts and parmesan onto the broccoli mixture, then return to the oven for 5 minutes.

9. If you’re serving with potato pancakes (if not, skip to step 11) - once the potatoes are soft, flatten to approx 1.5 cm using a glass or plate; chuck on a pinch of salt.

10. Heat a glug of oil in 2 frying pans, on a medium heat, to fry both your eggs and your potato pancakes. I won’t teach you to fry an egg - I’m hoping you’ve got that sussed. As for the potatoes, fry for approx 2-3 minutes each side until crisp and golden.

11. After 5 minutes of baking, remove the broccoli tray from the oven, and move the mixture to a bowl.

12. Drizzle the dressing over the broccoli and combine.

13. Finally, assemble all that deliciousness on a a plate and tuck in!

Any leftovers will keep in the fridge for a day or so; the dressing can be kept in the jar in the fridge for up to 3 days - whack it on everything!

Let me know what you think