Waldorf Salad

I learned how to make Waldorf Salad from Basil Fawlty. I learned how to make Waldorf Salad with grated cabbage from Marte Marie Forsberg via her book The Cottage Kitchen that I reviewed here. I find that I like both of them equally well. I suspect one of my reasons for my liking the latter version as much as I did was because, instead of using one of those hard, bowling ball cabbages that you find in the produce section of the market, I used a lovely, tender, conically-shaped offering from Melissa's Produce called Kool Cabbage. If you haven't tried it, you must! It makes a world of difference in the end result of any recipe requiring cabbage. Once you try this you will never go back to the insipid, rock hard supermarket cabbage that you've eaten for years.

I slightly adapted Forsberg's recipe by eliminating the pineapple and replacing it with dried cranberries to yield a wintrier version. I think the next time I'm going to use either roughly chopped fresh cranberries, or fold in a cranberry orange relish that I make from scratch, doesn't that sound delicious? I also am going to cut back a bit on the sauce; it was a little creamier that I generally like. Not that it wasn't good, it was, but I like to be able to identify each component individually, and I wasn't quite able to do that with the amount of sauce used in the original.

This, however, is well worth making, would serve wonderfully for the holidays, giving you an easy, not-too-sweet salad to serve alongside your holiday ham, roast beef, or turkey. I think even the kids will enjoy this one.

Waldorf Salad
Slightly adapted from The Cottage Kitchen

1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup +2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sugar
Juice of one half lemon
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and cut into bite-size pieces
7 ounces Melissa's Kool cabbage, cored, finely sliced
1 to 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1/4 cup dried cranberries
7 ounces seedless grapes (I used a combination of Melissa's Green Muscato and Red Muscato Grapes)
1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped

In a small bowl, beat the cream until soft peaks form. Gently fold in the mayonnaise, sugar, and lemon juice. Add the diced apple to the cream mixture to prevent the fruit from browning.

In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, celery, and dried cranberries. Add two thirds of the grapes and walnuts and stir well. Fold in the cream mixture until well combined, and refrigerate for 5 to 10 minutes. Garnish with remaining grapes and walnuts before serving.

Keeps 1-2 days in the fridge. 

 PRINT RECIPE

This post is linked to:

Grace at Home

Friday at the Fire Station
Foodie Friday & Everything Else

Create, Bake, Grow and Gather

Share Your Style

Simple Saturday Blog Hop

A Bouquet of Talent

Paula's No Rules Weekend Blog Party

This post contains affiliate links.

Cottage Kitchen, Cozy Cooking in the English Countryside, Reviewed

It probably helps that, before I read this book, I had spent a considerable amount of time in England, the countryside in particular. There is no more beautiful place on earth than the English countryside. So, I had a suspicion, before I even read this book, that I was going to like it. Naturally, I did, but I think you will too, because you don't have to bring any particular knowledge of England along with you when you read it, all you have to do is sit back and enjoy. I use the word "read" here because, while this is technically a cookbook, it also reads like a wonderful tale of discovery.

The Cottage Kitchen, Cozy Cooking in the English Countryside is the product of writer, photographer, and blogger extraordinaire, Marte Marie Forsberg. Fosberg, who grew up in the countryside of Norway, spent childhood and teenage summers in France and Switzerland, as well as considerable time in Italy, now finds herself planted in the English countryside, with her faithful companion, an English Pointer named Mr. Whiskey. Together they wander, forage, photograph, and cook up a delightful companionable existence, and a toothsome one, too! 

This charming book is a visual delight. Before I read a single word, I fell in love with it. The author is quite an accomplished photographer, and her love of England shines through in every photograph. Her stories are enchanting, her recipes delicious.

The book is charmingly divided by season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn, and, well, Afternoon Tea, not a season in itself, of course, but well worth covering.

There is an elegance to the simplicity of the recipes. Each delicious one, preceded by its own story of origin, thoughtfully presented, and completely doable. Simplicity, indeed, seems the key here, as well as fresh local ingredients and unique combinations, all of which yield comfort foods of a superior variety.

On a whim (and because I had a vegetable crisper full of it), I tried the recipe for Stuet Käl (Creamy Cabbage Stew), a simple cooked cabbage in white sauce recipe that I found as tasty as it was warm and soothing.

With still more cabbage remaining, I tried her recipe for Waldorf Salad, in which I found cabbage a rather surprising addition, finding it to be my new favorite version, and on my list for monthly, if not weekly consumption.

I'm not a baker, particularly, but so many recipes beckoned to me here, that I might just end up changing my status in that regard, No-Knead Pecan and Fig Bread high on my list of Recipes to Try. Doughnuts with Chocolate Sauce, Almond Rice Cream Pudding, and Prosecco Scones, all had me similarly sighing.

Carnivores will no doubt find themselves tempted by Steak and Cheese Pie, Partridges Baked with Figs and Olives, or Marie's Meatballs with Parsnip and Cardamom Purée.

Whether a cook or diner, all will find this book a delight. Some may find themselves booking passage to the heart of England. This is a delicious, inspiring volume, a must for the home cook's library, and sure to make a welcome gift.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Publisher via Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.