Monday 30 November 2015

Lighter take on Waldorf salad - salad with celery, fennel, apple and grapes (vegan and gluten-free)

One of the most sumptious hotels of my travel history is, without a doubt, Waldorf Astoria. Even the name echoes Old World glamuor, top hat-wearing doormen, atmosphere that just oozes elegance and clientele consisting of heiresses dripping with diamonds (ok, I might have been overdoing Hercule Poirot recently...)

And sure enough it is favoured by those of the upper echelons of the society: as I entered the hotel after a hard day of shopping I didn't understand the crowds gathered at the driveway, screaming and taking photos. I mean, I had left all my diamonds at the hotel safe, so there was no way they had me down as one of the heiresses. The reason turned out to be bunch of (admittedly handsomely built) young men that walked into the lift with me. A.k.a AC Juventus... (!!!)

In my dreamsthere is, however, only One Real Waldorf Astoria and that, along with so many other things I dream about (delis of Lower East Side, Barney's, the legendary Sunday Brunch at Waldorf Astoria, scenes of Breakfast at Tiffany's, my future husband...) is located in New York. 

That's also where this salad was born. I ended making it as I had to think of some use for the celerys left over from this soy bolognese (waste not, want not...). While I've never been a big fan of celery (when it's not swimming in a pool of vodka and tomato juice, anyway...),thinly sliced with the rest of the ingredients I really, really loved it. Fresh, quick, easy... and delicious!

The original salad bathes in a heavy dose of mayonnaise, so this is a lighter and fresher version. Should you want a more robust texture, roughly chop the ingredients into cubes. If the idea of salad with no meat in it scares you, this is delicious with some grilled chicken. 




Serves 2-3, as a side dish (try with chicken or fish!) 4-6

Lighter Waldorf salad:

3 celery stalks, thinly diagonally sliced (use the leaves, too!)
2 large fennels, thinly sliced
1 large green apple, thinly sliced
200 g green grapes, cut in half
1 large bunch of parsley
130 g walnuts

Dressing:

1/3 dl oil
1,5 tst mustard
the juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp honey
salt white pepper

Cut the fennels in half, remove the core and outer, leathery skin. Slice thinly and combine with rest of the ingredients. 

Mix the dressing and toss into the salad. Serve.

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ANYONE FOR SECONDS?



         

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