This Charred Broccoli Salad Tastes Just Like Fall

Broccoli Salad With Puffed Grains and Ricotta

From Chef Katianna Hong, The Charter Oak [1]

The restaurant uses both wild rice and barley in their salad, but you can also use any grain as a substitute.

For the mustard vinaigrette:
1/2 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons shallots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
3 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup grapeseed oil
1/4 cup mustard seed oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt

For the salad:
3 cups broccoli with leaves
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Salt to taste
1/2 cup fresh ricotta [2]
1/4 cup mustard vinaigrette
Puffed grains
Mustard flowers, optional

To make puffed grains: Bring 2 1/2 cups of water to a boil and then add grains. Cook for approximately 30 minutes or until the grains are very soft, just slightly overcooked, and strain. Spread out the grains on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Let dry overnight. The most important thing is to overcook the grains and then let them dry completely before frying.
In a heavy-bottomed stock pot, heat oil to 430ºF-450ºF. Fry the rice in batches until crisp. Remove from the oil onto a paper-towel-lined plate and season with salt.
To make mustard vinaigrette: In a large bowl, whisk together the garlic, shallots, mustards, and red wine vinegar until combined. Whisk in the sugar. Keep whisking and slowly stream in the grapeseed oil and mustard seed oil until emulsified. Season with salt.
To make salad: Remove the leaves from the broccoli and set aside.
Cut broccoli into 1-inch-long pieces using the florets and the top parts of the stems.
In a cast-iron pan, heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil until almost smoking. Add the broccoli and sauté until charred. While the broccoli is cooking, season with salt. Remove from the heat. Add remaining oil and fry the broccoli leaves until crisp. Let drain on paper-towel-lined plates.
Smear the bottom of your serving bowl with a spoonful of ricotta. Toss the broccoli and grains with the vinaigrette and place on top of the ricotta. Scatter with additional small spoonfuls of the ricotta and broccoli leaves. Garnish with mustard flowers.