Put the almonds in a small skillet and heat, stirring almost constantly, over medium high heat until they are golden brown. Watch them carefully, this will only take a few minutes, and once they start to toast, it goes fast. Set aside to cool.

Trim the large stalks off the broccoli and then chop in small pieces. Definitely include the small tender stalks along with the florets. Put in a large salad bowl along with the cheese, cranberries, and onion. Add in the cooled almonds.

Make the dressing by whisking together all the ingredients. Taste and make sure you like it, and thin with a little more buttermilk if it is too thick.

Toss the salad with enough of the dressing to coat, you may not need all of it. Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving. Garnish with the fried shallots just before serving.

To make the fried shallots, heat about 1/2 inch of vegetable oil in a skillet. Gently separate the slices into rings. Toss them in the flour and fry until golden. You can test the heat of the oil by dropping one shallot in, it should sizzle on contact. The shallots should turn golden in about 2 minutes. Do this in batches so you don't crowd the shallots, and keep them moving in the oil while they're frying. Drain on paper towels.