Layered Broccoli Salad

Drove home from Midland Sunday night. Five hours alone with the headlights and the radio. I thought about Tyler's smoker compound the whole way. The chain. The chain. The chain. I called Lily at 9 PM from Junction, Texas — halfway home — and told her I was going to be okay. She said, "Dad, are you having a moment?" I said, "Yes." She said, "Drive safe. Tell me about it tomorrow." She knew not to press. The Tran kids have all learned not to press when I'm having a moment.

Got home at 1 AM. Smokey was waiting. The house was dark. I went to bed. I dreamed about Vietnam — not Vietnam-the-country but Vietnam-the-place-Mai-came-from. I have never been there. I dreamed about it anyway. I dreamed about a kitchen with a dirt floor and an open flame and a young woman cooking something I couldn't see. I woke up at 5:30. Smokey was looking at me. The dream was still there. I made coffee. I sat on the porch. I let it go.

The Vietnam packing has begun. Two suitcases. Lightweight. Comfortable shoes (I will be walking a lot). A spare pair for Mai. Medications — both of ours, with a backup supply in case anything gets lost. A small first aid kit. A laminated copy of Mai's old Saigon address — the one from her childhood photos, the address of the house she grew up in. We will go to that address. We will see what is there. Probably high-rises. Probably motorbike shops. Probably nothing of what was. But Mai will stand on the corner where she stood as a child. That's the trip. That's the whole point.

Made phở Saturday for the family. Eight at the table. The Saturday tradition. Mai supervised. The broth was right. I told the family the trip itinerary in detail. Day-by-day. Mai listened with her eyes half-closed. When I finished she opened her eyes and said, "Bao, what about the cemetery?" I said, "What cemetery?" She said, "My parents." I had not thought about the cemetery. I should have. Of course there is a cemetery. Of course Mai has parents buried somewhere. Of course she would want to visit. I said, "Tell me where it is." She said, "I don't remember exactly. We will find it." The trip just got an extra dimension. We are also going to find Mai's parents.

The phở was Mai’s domain that Saturday — it always is — but I needed something I could make ahead and set quietly on the table while she supervised the broth and the family gathered. The layered broccoli salad has become my contribution to these big Saturdays: cold, ready, needing nothing from me once the family arrives. Eight people at the table, a trip itinerary to deliver, and the news that we’d be finding a cemetery we didn’t know we were looking for — you want at least one thing in the room that’s already finished.

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 10 min | Total Time: 30 min (plus 1 hr chilling) | Servings: 8

Ingredients

6 cups fresh broccoli florets, cut small (about 2 large heads)
1/2 medium red onion, finely diced
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
8 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1/2 cup roasted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Cook the bacon. Lay bacon slices in a cold skillet and cook over medium heat, turning once, until crisp, about 8–10 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and let cool completely, then crumble into pieces.
Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper until smooth and the sugar is fully dissolved. Taste and adjust sweetness or tang as needed.
Layer the salad. In a large, deep serving bowl or trifle dish, spread the broccoli florets in an even base layer. Top with the red onion, then the shredded cheddar, then the cranberries and sunflower seeds.
Add the dressing. Spoon the dressing evenly over the top layer, spreading it to the edges so it can work its way down during chilling. Do not toss yet.
Top with bacon. Scatter the crumbled bacon over the dressing as the final layer. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
Chill and serve. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours before serving. Toss gently just before bringing to the table, or serve layered and let guests scoop through all the layers themselves.

Nutrition (per serving)

Layered Broccoli Salad — The Side That Feeds Eight When the Story Is Bigger Than the Bowl