Serves 6
Notes
Here’s another fine winter salad. This one is made of crunchy carrots and fresh seasonal apples. The crunchy complexity of the carrots and the crisp apple provide a delightful, unexpected combination of flavor and texture. To turn the salad into a light lunch add a few slices of prosciutto and serve it with some crusty bread.
A firm, crisp apple is what you want for salad, and fortunately there are many varieties in the market that have that essential crunch, with flavors ranging from sweet to tangy to tart. I like to use a few different apples for greater complexity of flavor and vivid color in the salad. In addition to the reliably crisp Granny Smith apple, I look for some of the old-time firm and tart apples, such as Gravenstein, Jonathan, and Rome.
Ingredients
- 1 pound firm, crisp apples (see above for varieties)
- 1 pound of firm organic carrots, peeled
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup chopped chives (optional)
Directions
Rinse the apples well, but don’t peel them. Slice them in half, through the stem and bottom ends, and cut out the seeds and cores. Set in a food processor equipped with a blade to cut in matchsticks, and cut the apples and carrots.
Add the apples and carrots to the bowl and gently toss them together.
For the dressing: Whisk together the vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl, and then whisk in the olive oil gradually, until smooth and emulsified.
Pour the dressing over the carrots and apples, and toss to coat all the slices with dressing. Sprinkle with chopped chives (optional).
Serve cold or at room temperature.
Kids Can:
Rinse the apples; toss apples and carrots together in a bowl; grind the pepper; help measure and whisk together dressing ingredients and then dress the salad; and sprinkle the chives.
