St George’s Day & A Spring Salad Recipe:
English Apple and Walnut Salad
A Simple Salad Recipe for Spring: English Apple and Walnut Salad
Salad days…….hot, balmy days with fluffy white clouds and the drowsy distant buzz of bees……the early morning translucent light that awakes me along with birdsong and the pale warmth of early sun beams that dance along the old oak beams and form a halo around the wash stand, these are the salad days of summer; and, as spring grows and stretches its blossom laden wings, I can feel the onset of salad days growing by the day with the desire for leaves and tangy dressings featuring high on my menu planning schedule. It’s been a while since I posted a salad recipe on Lavender and Lovage, which is strange, as we eat mixed salad (or salad leaves) for at least one meal every day. All leaves are welcome on our table, from bitter frisée to buttery bibb lettuce as well as crunchy baby gems, all dressed in an elegant or rustic style (home-made) dressing.
A Simple Salad Recipe for Spring: English Apple and Walnut Salad
This salad doesn’t have any salad leaves in it, it’s a “Waldorf” style salad which is composed of fresh fruit (apples), dried fruit (sultanas, nuts (walnuts) and cheese (Blue Stilton) and is dressed in a tangy and yet slightly honey sweetened salad dressing which is made with walnut oil and apple cider vinegar. It’s a wonderful salad that is perfect for a light luncheon or supper dish and is perfect when served with crusty bread and a glass of chilled white wine.
A Simple Salad Recipe for Spring: English Apple and Walnut Salad
The apples in this salad don’t discolour as there is lemon juice in the dressing and that makes it the perfect salad for a packed lunch, although you must make sure that you add the dressing to the salad before you pack it into your lunch box. I used English apples, Cox’s Orange Pippin and Worcester Pearmain as well as my own home-grown walnuts and a slab of beautiful
Cropwell Bishop Creamery Blue Stilton cheese, for a truly tasty English salad, and perfect for St George’s Day (yesterday), April the 23rd.
Blue Stilton: Image Cropwell Bishop Stilton
As well as my terribly English salad, I discovered some wonderful recipes here for more English salad and soup recipes: Stilton Soup with Parmesan Croutons, Old English Summer Soup and English Ale Mustard. I was also lucky enough to attend a special event on St Georges Day this year for Heck sausages, where they celebrated the English saint’s day with bangers in buns: BY JOVE … ST GEORGE’S DAY IN A SAUSAGE SANDWICH……”A family of Yorkshire sausage makers has cooked up the perfect excuse, if ever one was needed, to tuck into a tasty sausage sandwich this St George’s Day. Capturing the spirit of England’s Patron Saint, their version is made with their new HECK square sausage and features an ample dollop of strategically placed ketchup to help the nation celebrate one bite at a time on 23 April. HECK’s new moreish and, more importantly, square and skinless sausage patties fit perfectly between two small, square-ish slices of bread, making them ideal for creating your own edible St. George’s Day flag. All you need add is a little butter and a ketchup St George’s Cross as the finishing touch before you squish the whole lot together and enjoy.”…..
St George’s Day Sausage Sarnie: Image Heck Sausages
How to construct your St George’s Day Sausage Sarnie:
– The sausage – any favourite sausage will do but Fair & Square from Heck will help you get the flag aesthetics spot on and won’t roll out when you take a bite.
– The bread – a lightly toasted, square Ciabatta roll works perfectly but if you yearn for the tradition and comfort of a couple of white, crusty doorsteps, we won’t argue.
– Spread bread lightly with butter.
– Use a pipette for flag perfection or a spoon for a more rustic finish.
– Add caramelised onions as you wish.
– Swap ketchup for brown sauce and/or smear with English mustard if you must, but remember there’s not much scope for brown or yellow in the St George’s Day flag colour palette!
(Recipe: Heck Sausages)
St George’s Day & A Spring Salad Recipe: English Apple and Walnut Salad
That’s all for today, do pop back over the weekend to see what I have in store for you, and in the meantime, why not try this fabulous apple and walnut salad, and the sausage sarnie for Saturday brunch maybe? Have a great weekend and if this salad doesn’t fit the bill, why not try my Blue Cheese, Borage & Grilled Chicken Salad, Egg and Tomato Salad with Marigold & Chive Flowers or this lovely English Garden Salad with Cheese and Eggs. See you soon, Karen
English Apple and Walnut Salad
English Apple and Walnut Salad
Print recipe
| Serves | 2 |
| Prep time | 5 minutes |
| Dietary | Vegetarian |
| Meal type | Appetizer, Lunch, Salad, Side Dish, Snack, Starter |
| Misc | Gourmet, Pre-preparable, Serve Cold |
| Occasion | Barbecue, Birthday Party, Casual Party, Christmas, Easter, Formal Party, Thanksgiving, Valentines day |
| Region | British |
| By author | Karen S Burns-Booth |
Ingredients
Salad
- 2 apples, chopped into small pieces but unpeeled (I used English Cox's Orange Pippins and Worcester Pearmain)
- 75g Blue Stilton (crumbled)
- 50g walnut halves
- 25g golden sultanas
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons walnut oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- juice of half a lemon
- salt and pepper
Note
A simple salad that makes full use of seasonal English apples and walnuts; the salty Blue Stilton cheese adds a wonderful richness and texture to the salad which is all bound together with a sweet walnut oil and cider apple dressing. Perfect as a light supper or luncheon dish or as an accompaniment. (This salad was inspired and adapted from a recipe by my friend Zuri)
Directions
| Step 1 | Make the dressing by putting all of the ingredients in a jam jar or a salad dressing jar with a lid, and shake well; adjust seasoning to taste. |
| Step 2 | Mix the chopped apples, Stilton cheese, walnuts and golden sultanas together and arrange them on a serving platter or two plates. |
| Step 3 | Drizzle the dressing over the top and serve with crusty bread and chilled white wine. |
English Apple and Walnut Salad
English Apple and Walnut Salad
Janice Pattie (@FarmersgirlCook) says
This is great Karen. I love Waldorf salad and this is an interesting variation. I have some creamy danish blue cheese so might see how it works with that!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Janice! It’s a simple recipe but packed full of taste, texture and flavour!
London Unattached Lifestyle and Travel says
waldorf salad was one of my mum’s favourite. Isn’t it funny – it really doesn’t seem ‘right’ unless you make it with red apples!
Karen Burns-Booth says
I agree that red apples seem “right” for this type of salad Fiona!
Choclette says
Love your St George cross, it made me laugh. And the salad sounds absolutely delicious.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Choclette! It was the idea of Heck sausages, the cross, and I am going to replicate it next year! 🙂
Deena kakaya says
Walnuts, cheese and apples…mmm packed with flavour and texture! What do you normally eat this salad with? I’m imagining cinnamon bread… Xx
Karen Burns-Booth says
I bet that cinnamon bread would be JUST amazing as a bread accompaniment with this salad Deena!
Nayna Kanabar (@SIMPLYF00D) says
This salad looks gorgeous and so refreshing. Its oozing sunshine.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Nayna! 🙂
lizzy (Good Things) says
Ah, springtime, how delicious!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Spring for us Lizzy as you slide into Autumn!
Trevor aka The Burger Nerd says
Lovely looking salad (and the sausage sarnie!). I adore blue cheese with apples…or pears…or actually almost any fruit. Seems like the prefect dish for a light summer lunch outside. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Trevor! I am also a sucker for blue cheese with apples or pears, and yes, a sausage sarnie is also welcome too!
Lauren Hairston says
I LOVE walnut oil and keep a jar of it in the fridge at all times. I’m excited to have a new recipe to try!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Lauren! I LOVE walnut oil AND walnut vinegar too!
Lauren Hairston says
Walnut vinegar?! What sorcery is this? How have I not heard of it?
Johanna GGG says
beautiful salad, beautiful post – especially that St George’s cross – it is one of life’s little ironies that England’s national day is in spring when I think of so many warming hearty winter dishes as the essence of English cooking – but your salad is just a lovely taste of English spring
Karen Burns-Booth says
I agree Johanna, we should have St George’s day in the midst of winter, so we can all indulge in steamed puddings and hearty stews!
Christina says
I love all sorts of salads but have never eaten or made a Waldorf type salad. I think I’m due! Looks and sounds lovely! CC
Karen Burns-Booth says
DO try this one CC, it is really rather good!
Jacqueline says
Simple and gorgeous! I love it Karen. Wish I could dip a fork into the screen and try it!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Jac – it’s a lovely salad for crunch and taste!
Couscous & Consciousness says
I can honestly say I’ve never seen a Waldorf salad that comes even close to looking this good. Apples are very plentiful here right now, and I could very happily make a meal of this. Gorgeous photos.
Karen Burns-Booth says
THANKS so much – I hope you get to make this salad soon, with your apple supplies!
Chloe King says
Apple, walnut and blue cheese is simply one of my favourite flavour combos. Always reminds me of my grandad who used to thread breadsticks through green apples and be amazed at how much I liked Stilton cheese as a preschooler! These recipes are so English but your blog still makes me want to move to France – even the condiment bottles are more tasty looking over the Channel!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks! LOVE your grandfather’s method of threading bread-sticks through green apples Chloe! LOVE it! 🙂
Elmarie says
Blue stilton AND those blue plates of yours drive me wild!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks! I am a BLUE plate fanatic Elmarie!
Camilla @FabFood4All says
My hubby and son would love this salad but I’ce hvve to swap the blue cheese for cheddar..I do love apple and walnuts together:-)
Karen Burns-Booth says
I will allow you to swap the blue cheese for Cheddar Camilla! LOL! 🙂
cheri says
Love fruit and nut salad’s. Very interesting post, love the cross.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Cheri! 🙂
Rachel says
Such a simple combination of ingredients, but perfectly matched aren’t they?