By The Fourth of July cookout has become an institution. Year three, and the Claycut Drive Independence Day celebration is now a calendar event that people plan around. Carl put it on the neighborhood Facebook page. Danielle made a flyer. I made brisket — again, Texas-style, because the brisket was so good last year that changing anything would be culinary cowardice. Fourteen hours. Salt and pepper. Oak smoke. Sleep in the lawn chair. The routine is the ritual.
Thirty people this year. The guest list grows the way the fig tree grows: organically, without planning, fed by something in the soil. Tee-Claude's family. Carl and Janet. Danielle's friends from school. Neighbors I've never met who followed the smoke. Marcus and his girlfriend. Terri and her husband. DeShawn, who ate more brisket than Pierre, which is saying something.
Fireworks at dusk. Same rules: nothing that leaves the ground (Danielle's rule), except the Roman candle that mysteriously launches when Danielle goes inside (my rule). Rémy held his sparkler with the reverence of a seven-year-old who has been holding sparklers for three years and still finds them miraculous. Colette photographed the fireworks with Danielle's phone, trying to capture the light, and the photos came out blurry and beautiful and perfect in their imperfection, and I think that's what memories look like when they're still forming.
Fourteen hours of brisket gets all the glory, and it should — but thirty people need more than protein, and I’ve learned that the side dish that disappears fastest is always the broccoli cauliflower salad. Danielle started making it the first year, and now it’s as locked-in as the oak smoke and the rogue Roman candle. It’s cold, it’s crunchy, it travels well, and when DeShawn is loading his third plate, he’s always got a scoop of this next to the brisket. That’s endorsement enough.
Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes (includes chilling) | Servings: 12
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh broccoli florets, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 4 cups fresh cauliflower florets, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
- 3/4 cup bacon crumbles (about 6 strips cooked and crumbled)
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries (optional)
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper until smooth and well combined. Taste and adjust sweetness or acidity as preferred. Set aside.
- Prep the vegetables. Chop broccoli and cauliflower into small, uniform bite-sized florets. Finely dice the red onion. Place all vegetables into a large mixing bowl.
- Combine the salad. Add the shredded cheddar, bacon crumbles, sunflower seeds, and raisins or cranberries (if using) to the bowl with the vegetables. Toss gently to distribute evenly.
- Dress and toss. Pour the dressing over the salad and fold everything together until all ingredients are evenly coated. Do not over-mix — you want the florets to stay intact.
- Chill before serving. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. This allows the dressing to soak into the vegetables and the flavors to meld. For a cookout, this can be made the night before and kept cold in the refrigerator.
- Serve cold. Give the salad a gentle stir before serving. Taste for seasoning and add a pinch more salt or a small splash of vinegar if needed. Transfer to a serving bowl and keep chilled until ready to eat.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 245 | Protein: 7g | Fat: 18g | Carbs: 14g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 340mg