Waldorf-inspired baby gem salad with caramelised walnuts and quick-pickled green apple
This revamped Waldorf salad swaps out excessively pungent chunks of blue cheese for a creamy and herby blue cheese dressing, and is elevated further with cubes of sweet and tart pickled apple. A Waldorf salad for the Waldorf haters.
Ingredients
Metric
Imperial
Quick-pickled green apple
- 3 green apples, finely diced
- 150ml of white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cane sugar
- 300ml of water
- 1 bay leaf
Caramelised walnuts
- 250g of walnut halves
- 400g of caster sugar
- 100ml of water
- 50g of unsalted butter
Blue cheese and chive dressing
- 150g of blue cheese, crumbled
- 100ml of natural yoghurt
- 40ml of whole milk
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 handful of chopped chives
- salt and pepper, to taste
Garnish
- 2 sticks of celery
- 1 handful of red grapes, sliced in half
- 5 baby gem lettuces, root trimmed and leaves separated
Method
Begin by preparing the quick pickled apple. Take all of the ingredients except for the apples and bring them to a simmer in a pot over medium heat
- 150ml of white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cane sugar
- 300ml of water
- 1 bay leaf
Once the pickling liquor comes up to temperature, remove from the heat and leave to cool
Once cooled, pour over the diced apple and cover with cling film
- 3 green apples, finely diced
Chill in the fridge and leave to pickle whilst you prepare the caramelised walnuts
Add the walnuts, sugar, water and butter to a pan over medium heat
- 250g of walnut halves
- 400g of caster sugar
- 100ml of water
- 50g of unsalted butter
Stir regularly for around 5 minutes, until the sugar begins to melt down and coat the walnuts
Once they caramelise, transfer them to a sheet of parchment paper and carefully separate each of the nuts to avoid sticking
Leave them at room temperature to solidify and cool for around 10 minutes, then transfer to a bowl until ready to plate
To make the blue cheese dressing, whisk together all of the ingredients except for the sliced chives
- 150g of blue cheese, crumbled
- 100ml of natural yoghurt
- 40ml of whole milk
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
Use a spoon to stir through the chives once the dressing has come together, then season with salt and pepper
- 1 handful of chopped chives
- salt and pepper, to taste
Strain the pickled apple and mix them together with the diced celery and red grapes
- 2 sticks of celery
- 1 handful of red grapes, sliced in half
To serve, lay out the baby gem leaves over the base of a serving platter
- 5 baby gem lettuces, root trimmed and leaves separated
Fill with the apple and celery mix, then scatter over the caramelised walnuts
Garnish with a generous drizzle of the blue cheese dressing, along with the celery leaves
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