Waldorf Salad originates from the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City and was created in 1893 by the maître d'hôtel Oscar Tschirky. The hotel website tells us the original dish was made with 'apples, celery, grapes and walnuts tossed in a mayonnaise-based dressing and served on a bed of lettuce'. Some say that the grapes were added later and in fact, I've left them out of the recipe below. Others use the original as a 'base recipe' and add raisins, dried cranberries, seeds, herbs and even cooked chicken.
A musical note - Cole Porter lived in a suite at the Waldorf Towers for many years and in 1935, Waldorf Salad featured in the lyrics of his song 'You're the Top'.
Serves 4 as a starter
3 celery sticks, washed and thinly sliced
2 green apples (I recommend using crisp Granny Smiths which are not too sweet)
50g walnuts, toasted and chopped
Dressing
3 tbsp mayonnaise
3 tbsp thick Greek yoghurt
juice of 1 small lemon
Romaine or Little Gem lettuce to serve
Chops the walnuts and toast them either in a dry frying pan for 3-4 minutes, or in a 180ºC oven for 8-10 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on them and shake the pan occasionally so they don't burn. Then set aside to cool.
Core the apples and cut into cubes or batons. Put into a bowl and toss with a splash of the lemon juice. This will stop them from going brown. Slice the celery straight across or on the diagonal.
In a large bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, Greek yoghurt and the remaining lemon juice. Add the chopped celery, apples and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine making sure everything is coated in the dressing. You can now refrigerate this for an hour or so before you're ready to serve. (It will also keep in the fridge for a few days as long as you keep the walnuts separate)
Now simply arrange your lettuce leaves onto a serving platter, or four individual plates, and spoon on the salad mixture. Sprinkle with the toasted walnuts before serving.
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