Broccoli Salad a la Grecque - Gluten Free BBQ Party

Those long, sultry days of summer are here. School is out, the farmers are haying their fields and today is the Fourth of July, the celebration of our country’s birthday and a day of outdoor grilling, fireworks, parades and hanging out with friends.

A perfect day for a gluten-free barbeque with Kate at Gluten-Free Gobsmacked, who has an alphabet full of delicious food that will be unveiled later this month at her BBQ Party Roundup. I signed on for the letter B and have a great Broccoli Salad to bring to this virtual party. It is a great outdoor party dish as it can stand to be left out for awhile with no ill effects due to the vinaigrette slathered over the broccoli and feta. It’s healthy, tasty and best of all, naturally gluten-free!

For this recipe I call for the crowning glory of the broccoli for a lovelier presentation. Broccoli crowns are more expensive at the grocery store per pound than broccoli bunches, so I would go ahead and buy the bunches, saving the stalks for later peeling and julienning into slaw, soup, or stir fries.



Broccoli a la Grecque

4 broccoli crowns, cut into spears
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of one lemon
1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled (I used low-fat feta and it held its shape very well)
1 tsp. dried oregano (or 1 Tbsp. fresh oregano, finely chopped)
1 clove garlic, pressed or very finely minced
2 Tbsp. fresh dill, snipped
Salt and pepper to taste

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Place broccoli in steamer basket and bring to a second boil. Lower heat and cover pot. Steam just until broccoli is crisp-tender, but still a nice, bright green (about 4-5 minutes). Remove from pot and plunge into cold water to stop the broccoli from cooking further. Drain and set aside.

Combine remaining ingredients into a dressing for the broccoli, taking care not to obliterate feta chunks. Pour over broccoli spears and marinate at least 1-2 hours, to let the flavors mingle.

Serve chilled, although again, this salad can stand to be left out for barbecue guests to enjoy at room temperature because there are no perishable ingredients that might spoil easily.

Serves 6-8.