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Australian houses, from architectural masterpieces to suburban family homes, Victorian terraces, mid-century marvels, coastal shacks, city apartments, and everything in between.
Award-winning Australian architecture, inspiring homes, and interviews with Australia’s top architects.
In depth features on Australia’s most beautiful gardens and landscape design.
Studio visits with Australia’s most talented creatives, from artists to architects, ceramicists to stylists, furniture makers to lighting designers.
There are those special moments in life that you’ll always remember, no matter how far or wide you roam. For me, one of those seminal moments was the first time I tasted char-grilled broccoli. In one eye opening instant, I realised the full flavour potential of vegetables, if treated creatively and with due respect.
Many of us grew up eating vegetables devoid of taste or texture, drowned in water or under a gluggy sauce. Even today, in our culinarily-evolved world, veggies are still often treated as second fiddle to the meaty main act. At Arthur Street Kitchen, we believe in giving vegetables their moment in the limelight! This broccoli salad was one of the dishes that inspired me to start cooking for my community because, to be frank, it is just too delicious not to be shared.
In this recipe, char-grilling broccoli gives this modest brassica an exciting, more-ish edge. Push the boundaries and give the broccoli some good colour until it borders on being burnt in some parts. The smokiness and depth of flavour will surprise you. Combined with nourishing chickpeas, a daring squeeze of lemon and a big salty hit of capers and Parmesan, this salad will show you why broccoli is a bona fide star in my kitchen, and soon, yours!
2 heads (1kg) broccoli, cut into florets
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
80g capers, rinsed and drained
1 long red chilli, thinly sliced
500g cooked chickpeas (about 2 cans)
drained 1 cup baby spinach leaves
1 cup parsley, finely chopped
1 cup mint, leaves picked
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
80g Parmesan cheese, shaved
50g flaked almonds, toasted
Sea salt and black pepper
Toss the broccoli in 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil and season with a generous amount of salt and pepper.
Heat a griddle pan or barbecue until it is smoking hot, and add the broccoli. Turn the broccoli so they get char marks all over. Continue until all the broccoli is cooked.
Place the rest of the oil in a small saucepan with the capers, garlic and chillies. Heat gently over medium heat for 30 seconds or so until the garlic just begins to turn golden. Take off the heat immediately and pour the hot oil mixture over the char-grilled broccoli.
Combine the broccoli with the chickpeas, spinach leaves, lemon zest, salt, and pepper and mix well. To serve, squeeze over lemon juice and top with parsley, mint leaves, Parmesan and almonds.
Massive thanks to Hetty McKinnon of Arthur Street Kitchen for sharing her fabulous seasonal salad ideas with us this month, and to Luisa Brimble for the beautiful pics! For more of Hetty's hearty, flavoursome salad recipes, do check out her brand new cookbook, out this month! 'Community, Recipes from Arthur Street Kitchen' is $38.00 and available from Hetty's online store and various stockists listed here!
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How absolutely delicious!
Minus the parmesan, this is Vegan and gluten-free. I’ll totally be trying this recipe! Thanks for sharing.
I just made this and it was delicious! When can we expect to see a TDF recipe book? :)
I’m so happy you enjoyed it Natalie! Broccoli has never tasted so good huh?
This was fabulous. I’m not even that much of a broccoli fan but this was truly great. If the rest of the recipes in the book are this good – I’m getting it!
Hetty & Lucy I just made this salad and it was devine !
My husband and I devoured it and two of my three children enjoyed eating the chick peas like they were lollies! An amazing feat as they detest ‘spicy’ food meaning anything with taste :)
One question can I store this salad dressed with lemon juice or should I leave it off until serving ?
Can’t wait to try a lot more of the salads featured :) xx
we made this for our christmas lunch and everybody loved it. Now I’m downloading more of Hetty’s recipes to try over summer. Yum and thanks!
yummy