Sunday, February 22, 2004

Here is how Alan Davidson in "The Oxford Companion to Food," describes my favorite apple, in winter, the Granny Smith: "Unusual, perhaps unique, in being a brilliant green even when fully ripe. Much grown in warm climates, notably in South Africa, Australia, Chile and France. The texture is crisp and juicy, the flavor distinctive, with a hint of almond."

(Enhance that flavor: Roast the almonds and sprinkle with coarse salt. Serve with apple slices as an accompaniment to a toasted cheese sandwich.)

The best apple I ever ate, off an espaliered tree in New Zealand, was a Granny Smith. And though I enjoy them off any tree, whenever I bite into one, I'm thinking of that orchard.

"Crisp and juicy" are two words that recommend a winter apple to me but there are other things I like about the Granny Smith. It's a cutting apple. You can eat half and store the other half in the refrigerator without concern that it will turn soft. Sometimes the cut surface shows a mottled brown, but slice it off and the apple is fresh again. Because its flesh stays white for so long, it works well as a cooking apple or for a salad made in advance of dinner.

I happen to be a fan of a refreshing, healthful apple salad. The necessary ingredients -- celery, lettuce, and Hellman's mayonnaise -- are almost always in the refrigerator.

Here are three recipes for popular apple salads. Amounts are given for each ingredient, but in the main, amounts mean little. Use your intuition and toss in what amounts seem right to you. You may, of course, vary the variety of apple.

Basic Apple and Celery Salad

• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley
  
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  
• 1 1/2 celery ribs
  
• 1 Granny Smith apple, unpeeled, cored

In a small bowl whisk together mayonnaise, cilantro, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste, until combined. Cut celery and apple into 1 1/2 -inch-long thin julienne strips. Toss together celery, apple, dressing. Correct seasonings.

Makes 2 servings.

Classic Waldorf Salad

• 1 1/2 cups walnuts, chopped, toasted
  
• 1 cup seedless red or green grapes
  
• 2 Granny Smith apples, unpeeled, cored, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
  
• 3 celery ribs, thinly sliced
  
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  
• Iceberg lettuce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a large baking sheet, spread walnuts in an even layer. Bake, stirring once or twice, until light golden brown and fragrant, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool. Chop coarsely.

Halve grapes (to make them easier to spear).

In a large bowl, combine apples, grapes, celery, mayonnaise and parsley. Toss gently to mix. Just before serving, sprinkle with walnuts. Serve on lettuce leaf.

Makes 6 servings.

Apples, Walnuts and Stilton Cheese Salad

• 6 ounces Stilton cheese
  
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  
• Freshly ground pepper
  
• 4 Granny Smith apples, unpeeled, cut into 1/2-inch dice
  
• 4 celery ribs, thinly sliced
  
• 2 tablespoons dried currants or raisins
  
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
  
• Iceberg lettuce

Put 1/3 of the cheese in the bottom of a large bowl. Add the olive oil and using a fork, mash together the cheese and oil. Add the vinegar and continue to mash and to mix. Add the cream and 1 teaspoon pepper and mix well to make a thick, chunky dressing.

Add the apples, celery, currants and lemon juice to the dressing and mix well. Crumble the remaining cheese and sprinkle it over the salad along with half of the walnuts. Mix them into the salad gently and evenly. Spoon into lettuce cups or over shredded lettuce. Garnish with remaining walnuts.

Makes 6 servings.

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