Is it okay to admit that the entire salad idea was inspired by one ingredient? I had some time to kill last week before I was to meet my husband after work, so I wondered into a grocery store… That sounds like the beginning of a bad joke but in reality I often wonder though supermarkets looking for inspiration. Often I have no idea what I’d cook until I see something that immediately gives me an idea. This time it was apples that are coral pink inside!
The variety I stumbled upon is called Kissabel and has a distinct berry flavour. I was so smitten with these pink-fleshed beauties I knew I had to showcase them in a dish where they’d be served raw. I knew it would have to be an apple salad of sorts, so I just had to come up with ingredients that would compliment my apples.
How do you make an apple salad?
My general salad formula is simple. Something green, something savoury, something sweet, something crunchy, something tangy. This particular apple salad is no exception. Once you have all your elements, it’s easy to change things up and come up with a whole slew of tasty and nutritious salads. It’s using the same ingredients over and over again that turns us off salads altogether!
When picking ingredients for my apple salad I remembered a French farmer and cheese producer I met this past summer while visiting the Jura region of France. I was on a press tour learning about how a century old Comte cheese is made, which was presented by a charming lady. Despite living in rural France and working with cows, she looked quite elegant. I was wondering how looking fab is so effortless for French women. Then I heard about her lunch. An apple, a cube of cheese and a walnut. That’s how!! So you can say that the idea for this apple salad came from the fabulous French farmer!
How do you make apple salad dressing?
You can choose either a creamy dressing or a vinaigrette. I chose to go with a creamy blue cheese dressing, which balances out the sweetness of the apples in a perfect way. A simple French-style vinaigrette will also be delicious in this recipe. I’ve made my blue cheese dressing in a food processor for a smooth finish but if you don’t mind a bit of texture, just a fork and a bowl will do. I was so pleased with how this apple salad turned out. Everyone in the family loved it. I think my son was the biggest fan due to a generous amount of cheese and bacon no doubt!
What apples should I use for apple salad?
This seasonal apple salad would be a perfect addition to your holiday table as it would bring a welcome balance to rich and creamy dishes. If you can find pink-fleshed apples, do use them. Apart from being delicious and beautiful, they do NOT turn brown and keep their colour for hours, which makes this salad a great make-ahead dish! Other pink-fleshed apple variety known to me in the UK is called Surprise. In the US the most common ones are Pink Pearl, Hidden Rose, Pink Sparkle, Mountain Rose and many more. You can read about them here. More side dishes for your holiday table
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