This recipe is based on one by the wonderful British sisters Jasmine and Melissa Hemsley (also known as Hemsley & Hemsley), who in turn were inspired by an old-fashioned classic, the Waldorf salad. The combination of chicory, apple, celery, hazelnuts, and blue cheese immediately appealed to me – because I can never resist apple, nuts and cheese … and not just in autumn! However, all these ingredients are really in top form right now, and since the combination of cheese and hazelnuts – a dream! – is perhaps not yet as well known as the combination with walnuts, I thought it was about time to introduce it to you here.
Instead of the Stilton used in the original recipe, we are using our even more fantastic Stichelton – so to speak, the original raw-milk Stilton. And instead of the English "cobnuts", we are, of course, using our wonderful Piedmontese "Tonda Gentile" hazelnuts from Azienda Papa dei Boschi.
- 50g Piedmontese hazelnuts
- 2 heads of red chicory
- 2 handfuls of cress
- 2 small, crisp apples
- 1 stalk of celery
- 50g Stichelton
- 1 small handful of dried cranberries
- 1 tsp hot Normandy mustard
- 2 tbsp Normandy cider vinegar
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp honey, e.g. the wonderfully aromatic Pyrenean heather honey
- Salt and pepper
- Mix all the dressing ingredients in a deep bowl.
- Tear the chicory leaves by hand into bite-sized pieces.
- Cut the cress from your garden and add it to the bowl with the dressing. Now also cut the celery stalk into small pieces.
- Core the apple and cut it into thin slices.
- Add everything to the large bowl, including the cranberries, and now carefully fold the salad into the dressing until everything is well combined.
- Place the salad on a plate. Now crumble the Stilton over it and garnish with the hazelnuts. You can also carefully roast the hazelnuts in a pan until they darken and their delicious aroma fills your entire kitchen. However, as the nuts by Josè Noè are already roasted, this step is not necessary.
- Enjoy ... Bon appétit!
This combination of crunchy, juicy, savory and sweet is really fun! The cress adds a peppery-hot note that perfectly balances the sweet cranberries and the fruity acidity of the apple, while the mustard dressing with the fruity note of the cider vinegar acts like a balm that wraps around everything and brings out all the flavors even better. The absolute crowning glory, of course, is the creamy-savory Stichelton and the wonderfully aromatic hazelnuts with their delicate nougat aroma and lovely crunch.
Conclusion: not only a colorful feast for the eyes – but overall a salad with an extremely high addictive factor!
Wine recommendation: To go with this, we recommend the Côtes du Rhône Blanc from Château de Saint Cosme: a beautifully light, typically southern French wine that goes well with everything and provides a great contrast to the sweet salad. Full of minerality, freshness and finesse, with cheerful aromas of mango, papaya, lemongrass, pineapple and honey. The bottle for €12.95, the case of 6 for €73.
