Broccoli & boiled egg salad with anchovies, chillis & croutons

“This punchy, crunchy salad is pure goodness on a plate – the perfect foil to indulgent holiday feasting. ”

Ingredients

• 500 g purple sprouting or tenderstem broccoli
• 4 large free-range eggs , (at room temperature)
• 2 tablespoons Dijon or wholegrain mustard
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 pinch of caster sugar
• 2 large cloves of garlic
• 6-8 marinated anchovies
• 1 fresh red chilli
• CROUTONS
• 60 g leftover ciabatta
• olive oil

Method

1. For the croutons, tear the ciabatta up into bite-sized pieces. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Once hot, tip in the ciabatta and toss well to coat in the oil.
2. Cook gently for 5 to 10 minutes, or until crisp and golden; try to resist adding more oil – they will turn golden given a bit of time. Tip onto a plate, then wipe out the pan with kitchen paper and set aside.
3. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, then add the broccoli and cook until just tender (about 5 minutes for purple sprouting or 3 minutes for tenderstem).
4. Fill a bowl with cold water, then lift the broccoli from the pan and into the cold water to cool. Keep the pan of water on the hob.
5. Gently lower the eggs into the pan of boiling water and simmer for
   6 minutes, or until they are just soft in the middle. Drain and set aside.
6. Tip the broccoli into a colander, then cool the eggs in a fresh bowl of cold water for a few minutes.
7. Next, combine 1 tablespoon of oil with the mustard, vinegar and sugar, plus 1 tablespoon of cold water and a little seasoning to make the dressing. Peel, then halve the eggs.
8. Peel and thinly slice the garlic, tear up the anchovies and trim and finely chop the chilli.
9. Put 1 tablespoon of oil in the frying pan, place over a medium heat and fry the garlic for 30 seconds. Toss in the drained broccoli and cook for 2 minutes over a high heat, until starting to colour here and there.
10. Spread the broccoli over a platter, then add the eggs, croutons and anchovies. Scatter with the chilli, drizzle over the dressing and serve.

Source: Jamie Oliver