With grocery roulette becoming more pronounced, I’ve been looking for some new salad ideas, particularly ones that don’t involve using lettuces.

Hetty McKinnon, cookbook author and a food and recipe contributor to the New York Times, is the creative force behind this salad recently published in the New York Times. For more terrific food ideas and to become a subscriber to her veggie/salad based newsletter, click here.

This broccoli salad was a hit in our house. Unfortunately, the week I decided we should try it was the week my food store’s broccoli looks pretty awful. Undeterred, I bought some frozen florets (2 bags is more than enough for this recipe), which I thawed ahead of time. Fresh broccoli will, of course, have way more crunch to it, so I’m looking forward to revisiting this recipe when our local farmstands have the real stuff.

Broccoli Salad

By Hetty McKinnon in the New York Times

Ingredients

FOR THE DRESSING:

• ½ cup golden or black raisins or dried cranberries (I used dried unsweetened cranberries)
• ½ red onion, finely sliced
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 4 teaspoons granulated sugar
•  Kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

FOR THE SALAD:

• 1 ½ pounds broccoli-about 2 heads (I used frozen broccoli florets)
• 1 apple (any variety), cored and cut into ½-inch cubes
• 2 scallions, white and green parts, finely sliced
•  Kosher salt and black pepper
• ½ cup toasted sliced almonds, pepitas or sunflower seeds (I used sunflower)
• 1 cup red or green grapes (optional), halved crosswise (IMHO, this was a great addition)

Method:

1. Make the dressing: Place raisins and red onion in a small bowl. Add vinegar, sugar, ¾ teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons of water, and toss to combine. Leave to pickle for 10 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
2. Peel the woody exterior from the broccoli stalks and discard. Chop the stalks into ½-inch pieces. Chop the broccoli florets into ½-inch pieces. The pieces do not have to be uniform or the same shape. Place all the broccoli into a large mixing bowl.
3. After 10 minutes, finish the dressing by adding the olive oil and sesame oil to the bowl with the pickling raisins and red onion, and stir well to combine. Taste and season with more salt if needed. It should be tangy, slightly sweet and a little salty.
4. Add the raisin-and-onion dressing to the broccoli along with the apple and scallions. Using two large spoons, toss well so that everything is well coated. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste. Taste to make sure you are happy with the seasonings, adding more if needed.
5. When you are ready to eat, add the almonds (or nuts/seeds) and grapes (if using), and gently toss. Serve at room temperature.