Apple, Celery, and Walnut Salad with Mustard Dressing

This salad is a fancy plate salad. If we were at a restaurant where you could order this salad I would probably be wearing a dress, and perhaps a hat. In my fancy lady fantasies I am always wearing a hat. We would be sipping on something bubbly with fruit in it, and talking about what we are going to do in the summer. The tablecloths would be starched white linen and the plates rimmed in gold and painted with colourful flowers. The waiters would go by in their pressed shirts and black bowties and the sound of a grand piano would be drifting in the background as the perfect accompaniment to our light and fancy lunch.

It’s worth dreaming isn’t it? In reality I ate this salad while sitting on our back porch with a winter breeze tickling my knees and a bright patch of sun warming my back while I looked out at the ocean and listened to a podcast. Not a bad alternative to a fancy plate place in my opinion. The second helping will be eaten at my desk at work, hopefully followed by a walk along the dusty industrial estate sidewalk outside my office. But in my mind I will be sitting on a breezy verandah with starched tablecloths and fancy plates.

Each bite of this Apple, Celery, and Walnut Salad brings something different and each mouthful is filled with crunch. The apple and celery provide salty sweet fresh dynamic with the lemon juice balances it all out with some acidity. The roasted walnuts are my favourite part of this salad, that and the mustard and yoghurt dressing that finds its way into the crevice of every soft buttery leaf of lettuce.

Apple, Celery, and Walnut Salad with Mustard Dressing

Serves 2 | Gluten Free | Vegetarian

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1 apple of choice (I used a Sundowner)
• 2 sticks celery
• 4 cups chopped butter lettuce
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/4 cup plain Greek yoghurt
• 1 heaped teaspoon seeded mustard
• 1 heaped teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Spread walnuts over a sheet pan and roast at 180C (350F) for ten minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
2. Core apple and dice into small chunks. Chop celery across stem into medium slices. Place into a large bowl.
3. Add half the lemon juice to the apple and celery and toss to coat well.
4. Roughly chop walnuts and add this to the bowl along with the lettuce. Toss until completely mixed.
5. To make dressing whisk together remaining lemon juice, yoghurt, seeded mustard, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper.
6. Divide salad among plates and top with dressing.