Description
Packed with toasted walnuts, sweet dates, and sharp cheddar—like the fresh, crunchy dream at Lowland in Charleston I haven’t stopped craving.
Ingredients
Scale
For the salad:
- 1 large head organic celery
- 1 bunch fresh mint, roughly chopped
- 2 cups walnuts (about 100 grams), toasted and finely chopped
- 10 pitted dates, sliced into ½-inch pieces
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups extra sharp cheddar, broken up and roughly chopped into crumbles
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup sherry vinaigrette (recipe below)
For the vinaigrette (makes about 2 ½ cups):
- 2 tablespoons minced shallot
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 cup avocado oil
- ½ cup sherry vinegar
Instructions
- Make the vinaigrette: In a medium bowl or medium jar with a tight fitting lid, whisk together the shallot, Dijon, avocado oil, and sherry vinegar until smooth and emulsified. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
- Make the salad: Remove and wash the outer celery stalks, then chop them into ½-inch pieces. Separate the tender celery heart and leaves—these are your fancy little garnish later.
- Bring a small pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the chopped celery stalks and blanch for 1 minute (and no longer)—just enough to soften the bite but keep the crunch. Immediately transfer the celery to an ice bath to cool completely, then drain and pat dry.
- In a large bowl, toss together the blanched celery, chopped mint, toasted walnuts, and dates. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Be generous.
- To serve, spoon a layer of the celery mixture into a shallow serving bowl. Scatter grated cheddar over the top. Drizzle with olive oil and a generous splash of sherry vinaigrette. Finish with the reserved celery heart and leaves for an extra hit of freshness.
- This salad is crisp, unexpected, and an absolute stunner alongside roasted chicken. Enjoy!