Creamy Broccoli Crunch Salad

Preparation

This salad has it all: A homemade Caesar-style dressing adds irresistible richness to simply steamed broccoli, while bacon and bacon fat toasted pecans add salty crunch. Quick pickled shallots and cranberries round it out with a sweet-tart pucker, and a generous grating of smoked gouda garnishes the surface like creamy snow. 

1. Make the salad. Stir together shallots, cranberries, vinegar, and 1 teaspoon salt in a small bowl, set aside to marinate, stirring occasionally while you make the salad. 
2. Heat bacon in the HexClad 10"/25 cm Hybrid Fry Pan over medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Add pecans to bacon fat in the fry pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium-low, stirring, until toasted and fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to plate with bacon. 
3. Meanwhile, fill the HexClad 8-Quart/7.5 L Hybrid Stock Pot with about two inches of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Toss broccoli with salt and pepper in the HexClad Steamer Basket for the 8-quart Stock Pot. Set basket into stock pot and cover. Steam broccoli over high heat until crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a large serving platter. 
4. Make the dressing. Pulse mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, anchovies, and garlic in the jar of a mini food processor or blender until smooth. Add oil and puree until a creamy dressing is formed. Season with salt and pepper. 
5. Pour dressing over warm broccoli, then top with pickled shallots and cranberries (discard vinegar) and bacon-pecan mixture. Finely grate gouda over the top to serve.