Broccoli, bacon & apple salad
on Jun 15, 2014, Updated Nov 23, 2022
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Yesterday, I found out that I definitely didn’t miss my vocation by not becoming a spy.
Too many negatives there, maybe? Oh well, never mind.
You see, Mr. Scrummy and I decided not to tell our Australian relatives that we were coming back to Perth again so that we could surprise them when we got here. But despite a few days of Mr. Scrummy’s mum ‘fishing’ for clues as to when would be a good time for us to drop in on them to ‘launch’ said surprise visit, suddenly it was the weekend and we just hadn’t managed it yet. So, early(ish) Saturday morning, I wandered into the kitchen still a bit jet-lagged, sat at the kitchen table leafing through a magazine, and suddenly there was a loud knock at the door. I looked up and saw Mr. Scrummy’s brother’s car in the driveway.
Bleary-eyed no more, Mr. Scrummy and I jumped up in a panic and manicly tried to grab all ‘evidence’ that we were there. It was almost as if everything moved in slow motion as we grabbed laptops and cables and handbags and coats and flew into our bedroom and jumped behind the door … just in time to hear Mr. Scrummy’s brother letting himself into his mum’s house.
Now, I would like to be able to report that Mr. S’s brother satisfied himself that his mum wasn’t at home and left, but no. Ohhh no. He opened his mail, talked to the cat, talked to himself, went out into the garden and rustled around in the shed, came back into the house, rustled around a bit more, went out to his car, came back in … you get the idea.
An hour and a quarter later (yes, ONE HOUR AND A QUARTER), we were still there holding our breath behind the door, willing him NOT to come down that end of the house, freezing our socks off I might add (Aussie winter, you know …), except, oh yes, I didn’t have any socks on so my feet were just about turning blue.
I pictured having to break the news to my sister-in-law that Mr. Scrummy’s brother was no more because he had had a heart attack after poking his head around the door and spotting two pyjama-clad people hiding there.
Now, not to beat around the bush too much with this story, let me just say that for the rest of the morning and afternoon we behaved like a couple of giggly ten-year-olds. Giggly ten-year-olds pretending to be spies, no less. We had another ‘near-miss’ later on when Mr. Scrummy’s brother left a message on the answerphone that his son would be passing by shortly to pick something up. We dashed out of the house, not even showered after our late morning 10k walk/jog, and drove to the safety of the pub and our potato wedges and sweet chilli sauce (poor us). We then retired to a coffee shop where we found out via Mr. Scrummy’s mum that my sister-in-law was very probably shopping nearby. We drank the rest of our coffees while furtively peering over a menu held over our faces (I made that last part up but it isn’t too far off the truth).
It was all worth it of course when we finally pulled off our surprise shortly afterwards. The family were indeed surprised and delighted to see us, but I have to say I think Mr. Scrummy and I had the most fun. So if you were wondering why I didn’t reply to any of your lovely comments yesterday then that would be the reason. Too busy with our undercover op. If you ever need a private investigator then you know who (not) to call.
OK, well if any of you are still there reading (I’m impressed if you are!) I think it’s time to move onto this very tasty, if I may say so, broccoli, bacon & apple salad. After almost a whole 24 hours of eating not-the-healthiest plane food plus a few days of mostly snacking since we had little idea where we were and what time it was, I decided to make something fairly simple but healthy and tasty. This salad seemed to fit the bill.
If you’re the kind of person who likes an explosion of different flavours and textures in your mouth all at one time, then this salad is definitely for you. There’s:
… crunchy little raw florets of broccoli,
fresh, juicy apple,
sharp cheddar cheese,
super flavoursome bits of bacon,
salty peanuts,
& the subtle zing of a little raw onion …
all bound together in a creamy (but on the light side) dressing made of Greek yoghurt, a little mayonnaise, mustard and honey.
I enjoyed a bowl of this salad by itself, and it was very satisfying indeed. I think it would be great as a side with roast chicken, or quiche, or even fish, too. It could also be a great work lunch or make-ahead take-along buffet dish. If you soak the apple in lemon juice before adding it to the salad, the apple doesn’t go brown and you can quite happily keep it in the fridge for a day (or two or three – I am eating the leftovers while typing this and it is still perfectly fresh-tasting). If you do make ahead, though, it’s best to add the peanuts at the last minute because they don’t hold onto their crunchiness for too long. Next time, I might also throw in a handful of raisins for an extra fruity kick.
We have another relative lined up to surprise this afternoon – Mr. Scrummy’s sister. Hopefully there will be no hiding behind doors involved this time!
So are you a fan of surprises? And how would you feel if you found out that someone was hiding in the house without you knowing about it? Creepy or what?!
Broccoli, bacon & apple salad
Ingredients
For the salad
- 6 rashers of bacon, sliced into small pieces
- a little oil of your choice for cooking the bacon
- 2 small to medium heads of broccoli, thoroughly washed
- 1 apple
- 1 lemon
- 1 smallish onion, chopped finely
- 3.5 ounces strong cheddar cheese, grated
- about 2 handfuls of salted peanuts
- optional – 1 handful raisins
- freshly ground black pepper
For the dressing
- 3/4 cup Greek yoghurt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- Fry the bacon in the oil until cooked through (and crispy if you like), then set aside.
- Discard the ‘woody’ end part of the broccoli stalk, then chop the rest of the stalk finely. Then separate the broccoli heads into small florets. Put the florets and chopped stalk into a large bowl.
- Slice the apple (no need to peel) into small pieces and put them into a small bowl. Squeeze the juice of the lemon all over the apple, then add the apple and any extra juice to the large bowl with the broccoli.
- Now add the onion, cheese and peanuts.
- Stir all of the dressing ingredients together well in a medium-sized bowl, then add to the salad. Add black pepper to taste. Mix really well.
Notes
Nutrition
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That’s the funniest story!! I can imagine how much fun it would have been-it’s like a scene from a movie! Glad to hear that you pulled it off 😛
Haha … thanks, Lorraine. I take that as a big compliment coming from the best blog story-teller I know. 🙂
Sounds like it was a lot of working becoming a spy! Good thing you didn’t get caught though, especially for hiding out for as long as you did! This broccoli salad looks delicious! I’ve had similar versions before, but never one with bacon in it. Looks amazing!
Thanks, Gayle! This was sort of based on similar versions I’ve had a few times, but I’m not sure if I had bacon in them or not, it just seemed to go well with the apple and the crunch of the broccoli. Glad you like it!
P.S. Yup, the ‘spying’ was pretty hard work – not sure I want to do that again in a hurry.
Awwhhh you’re too funny Helen! I simply adore reading your stories haha. It must have been a lovely surprise for your family indeed 😉
This salad looks glorious with all those brown bacon bits and the peanuts OHHHH what a combo!! Also, that greek yogurt dressing sounds phenomenal! xx
Thanks, Consuelo. So glad to have made you smile. This surprise was definitely a lot of fun!
So happy you like the salad, too. The dressing was my favourite thing about this salad, actually – oh, and the bacon, of course!
What an eventful time you’ve had since you landed! It’s funny how much effort we put into “little” things, but because they’re special we have such fond memories of them afterwards. I bet everyone will remember “Scrummy Surprise-fest” for years to come. 🙂 I personally would be terrified to pieces if I began to think someone unannounced was in my house. I’d probably grab my dog and run outside to call the authorities. At least that didn’t happen to you two! Now this salad – it looks so great, especially for the U.S. summer we’re having. I love that it would pair well with just about anything, too. And I think I would love that dressing on more than just this salad!
Agree with everything you just said, Alyssa! I was really worried that we’d freak my brother-in-law out. I’m not sure I would have risked it with a woman! I remember once my sister hid in the house when I thought I was alone, then started making noises. Not loud ones but just enough to totally freak me out! Naughty girl!
So happy you like the salad. You’re right that this would go with almost anything – it would definitely be a good pot-luck dish. The dressing was a bit of an experiment but it definitely worked … and of course was very easy.
I have just done this alad for lunch! Was an instant hit for me and my husband: -)
have a great week!
You’ve just made my evening! I thought this was delicious but it’s wonderful to get positive feedback from others. You have a great week, too! 🙂
Fun post, Helen. Enjoyed reading about your spying antics.
And I love broccoli salad with bacon and apples. Delicious!
Haha … thanks, Norma! Glad to have made you smile! 🙂
Wow this is such a great way to use broccoli! I love finding interesting ways to use it but I’ve never tried broccoli in a salad before! The dressing looks absolutely delicious as well 🙂
I’d tried raw broccoli before in a salad but only a few times and I think they were always made by Americans. I don’t think this kind of salad is very popular at all in Europe – so I thought it was time I changed that! The dressing was definitely a winner – do give it a try, Lilli – I think it could be quite versatile and go well in many other salads.
Great post Helen, I had a few chuckles reading this, love surprises. You only surprise the ones you care about, so it’s special right? Love this salad, broccoli is one of my favorites.
Aw, that’s so true, Cheri! Yes, it was a very memorable thing to do! So happy you like the salad. Hope you are still having a wonderful time in Oregon. 🙂
I was thoroughly amused by your story! That is so funny about hiding from his brother, an hour and a quarter is such a long time to stay hidden! I’m really impressed, haha! I guess it would have been pretty scary for his brother if you guys decided to finally pop out after that long! I love the idea of surprise visits to family, but I’m never smart enough to pull them off, so bravo to you guys!! This salad is so creative! I love all the different flavors you used, and I especially love that you dressed it with Greek yogurt! It looks delicious!
Thanks for the sweet comment (again), Isadora! To be honest, this was fun, but it was fairly tricky to pull off. Catching a busy family all home together at a good time took plenty of scheming, that’s for sure! So glad you approve of the salad. The Greek yoghurt dressing was the best part because it pretty much tasted like mayonnaise but of course was a bit healthier than that.
Monsieur Scrummy et toi, vous êtes comme deux gamins. Haha, je crois que ton beau frère aura pu mourir d’un attaque le pauvre! J’imagine s’il aura poussé la porte de la chambre…
Ta salade est divine, J’adore tous ces mélanges des goût et pour l’été est idéal!
Merci, Eva … malheureusement, il fait tres froid a Perth au juin … la nuit, au moins (par jour il fait tres beau!) A mon avis, pourtant, cette salade est ideal pour l’ete et l’hiver tous les deux!
Quant au beau frere, oui, j’ai vraiment pousse un soupir de soulagement! 🙂
Helen, je crois que t’aimerais ma salade, elle aussi très complet et tu peut la déguster tiède ou froid! Il faut que tu clique aussi dans le dernier lien, je pense que ça te plaira aussi 😉
Merci, Eva! Je suis sure que j’adorais ta salade! Je vais te visiter bientot pour cliquer ce dernier lien! 🙂
Haha! That is hilarious! Your poor feet 🙂 There is nothing like a good adrenaline rush in the morning!
And there is nothing like a good summer salad that has bacon and apples! What a delicious combination Helen!
Haha … you’re right about that adrenaline rush! Fun, though …
Very happy that you like the salad, Mary Frances. I have to say that the bacon, apples, broccoli & cheese combination worked pretty well. 🙂