Waldorf Salad with Cranberries and Walnuts
The traditional Waldorf salad gets a holiday twist with the addition of dried cranberries and a drizzling of sherry vinegar and fragrant walnut oil in place of mayonnaise. Serve as part of a brunch buffet or alongside sandwiches for lunch.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (2 oz./60 g) walnuts
- 2 large Fuji apples, about 1 lb. (500 g) total, unpeeled
- 2 large Granny Smith apples, about 1 lb. (500 g) total, unpeeled
- 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup (5 oz./155 g) diced celery
- 2 green onions, white and light green portions, chopped
- 1/2 cup (2 oz./60 g) dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup (3 fl. oz./80 ml) walnut oil
- 3 Tbs. sherry vinegar or white balsamic vinegar
Directions:
Preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C).
Spread the walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and bake until lightly toasted and fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes. Pour onto a plate to cool and then chop coarsely.
Halve and core the apples and cut into 1/2-inch (12-mm) dice. In a large bowl, toss the apples with the lemon juice. Add the celery, green onions, cranberries and walnuts. Drizzle with the walnut oil and vinegar and toss to mix well. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serves 6 to 8.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Thanksgiving Entertaining, by Lou Seibert Pappas (Simon & Schuster, 2005).