This is a tried and true recipe at my place, unadulterated from its original source, The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook. If you like cole slaw and you like broccoli, you will like this salad. Better still, it takes all of 15 minutes to make.

In making this recipe over and over again, I realized how great broccoli stems are, those great trunks beneath the crown. You can eat them raw, roast them, steam them, do anything to them you would already be doing the florets. So if you’re not eating them yet, go on and get into it.

Broccoli Slaw

2 heads broccoli
1/2 cup thinly sliced almonds
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
Fresh ground black pepper

In a small bowl, mix together buttermilk, mayonnaise, cider vinegar, sugar and salt until smooth. Stir in the onion. Let the dressing combine for about 10 minutes before pouring over broccoli.

To prepared the broccoli, pull or cut the head apart into small florets and pile into a medium sized mixing bowl. Use the stems as well, peeling if there are lots of leaves on them and then slicing into matchstick-sized slices. Pour dressing over broccoli and add then almonds and cranberries; stir to combine. Top with fresh ground black pepper.