Red Apple
by Cat, Nov 2009 (Photo, right, from Wikimedia Commons)
I am very fond of apples and try to eat at least a half-apple every day (raw) with brie cheese. I also like them cooked, not just as applesauce or apple pie, but also in soups and main-dish sauces. But one of my favorite ways to eat apple is in Waldorf Salad. It is very refreshing on a cool fall evening, and brings a bit of sunshine to a cold winter day.
See also: 1. Apple Info (About); 2. Mayonnaise; 3. Whipped Cream; 4. Endive and Apple Salad with Warm Goat Cheese
Waldorf Salad
I think most everyone knows how to make this wonderful salad, but just in case you’re not one of them, I include it here. My Mom told me it got it’s name from the Hotel Waldorf (now Waldorf Astoria) in New York City, in the late 1800s. Many people add raisins, but I don’t believe they were a part of the original recipe, and anyway, I don’t care for raisins.
The original recipe used just mayo for the dressing (according to Wikipedia (2)), but Mom added the whipped cream to the mayo, so that’s the only way I’ve ever made it. The only change I’ve made from Mom’s recipe is to use homemade mayonnaise. You can play with the relative amounts of cream and mayo.
Choose mildly sweet apples for this recipe (Cameo, Fuji, Gala, Honey-Crisp, Pink Lady and more; see Apple Info (About) for an ‘Apple Table’ of recommendations for different types of dishes). Serves 4.
Ingredients & Equipment:
- 2 cups fresh apples, coarsely chopped
- ½ – 1 cup chopped fresh celery
- ¼ cup homemade mayonnaise
- ¼ cup whipped Cream
- 1 tsp Rapadura or white cane sugar (or to taste)
- ½ tsp real vanilla extract (optional)
- ⅓ cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
- Equipment
- 2 bowls
- egg whip
- wooden spoon
Method:
- Wash but don’t peel apples. Core, then cut into 6 – 8 wedges; slice each wedge crosswise into bite-size pieces. Place in bowl of water with 1 tsp lemon juice to keep them from turning brown.
- Chop celery and nuts.
- Whip cream. Stir in sugar, vanilla (if using) and mayo.
- Drain apples, add in celery and nuts, then stir-in mayo/cream mixture. Chill for a few hours before serving.
Assembly or Serving ideas
- Serve on salad greens, if desired;
- Stir in grated coconut for a different flavor;
- Add a bit of horseradish to the dressing;
- Use creme fraiche instead of whipped cream in the dressing;
- Wikipedia (s) suggests adding fresh grapes or dried fruits such as dates or raisins.
References:
- Anne Haug’s recipe collection
- Wikipedia on Waldorf Salad: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waldorf_salad
