Recipe: Make this apple salad part of your fall-to-winter culinary repertoire

A decade ago, reading the salad menu at Zimzala Restaurant always made me hungry. At the time, Roy Hendrickson was the executive chef at the now-renamed eatery at the Shorebreak Hotel in Huntington Beach. His Heirloom Apple Salad was a favorite; along with apples, it showcased granola clusters, butter lettuce, Humboldt Fog cheese and high-quality lemon extra-virgin olive oil.

Hendrickson showed me how to make it and in the years that have followed, it has become part of my fall-to-winter repertoire. The only time-consuming part of the recipe is preparing the apple chips that are used for garnish.  Home cooks can eliminate the fancy finish and shave off prep time; it takes one hour or so to turn thin-cut raw apple slices into beautifully browned crisp chips.

Soft-ripened Humboldt Fog from Cypress Grove (California) is essential; it’s sold at most cheese shops and supermarkets with large cheese sections. It is two irresistible layers of goat cheese with a layer of vegetable ash between them.

Roy Hendrickson’s Apple Salad

Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

Optional Garnish: 1 medium-size skin-on Granny Smith apple (washed, dried), non-stick spray, pinch of ground cinnamon, pinch of ground nutmeg, pinch of kosher salt

Salad:

6-8 leaves butter lettuce per person, washed, drained

4 skin-on, cored apples (1 Golden Delicious, 1 Ambrosia, 1 Braeburn and 1 Fuji); see cook’s notes

1/2 cup granola, see cook’s notes

4 tablespoons chopped leaves of celery heart

1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

4 tablespoons extra-virgin lemon olive oil, plus more as needed, see cook’s notes

5 ounces Humboldt Fog cheese, cut into irregular chunks and wedges, see cook’s notes

Cook’s notes: Although specific apples are called out by the chef for the salad, you can use other varieties if you wish. Chef made granola with bran flakes, sesame seeds, pistachios, honey, canola oil, salt, and slivered almonds. He said you can use store-bought granola, preferably one without dried fruit. Lemon-spiked extra-virgin olive oil is sold at upscale supermarkets and specialty shops. You can make it by adding finely minced lemon zest (colored portion of peel) to extra-virgin olive oil in a small saucepan. Warm mixture gently on medium heat; pour into bowl, cover, and steep for several hours.

PROCEDURE

1. Optional for apple chip garnish: Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut Granny Smith apple into very thin slices, either using a sharp knife or mandoline. Spray parchment paper with non-stick spray and place apple slices in a single layer on top. Spray apples lightly with non-stick spray. Sprinkle with kosher salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cover with another sheet of parchment paper and a second rimmed baking sheet. Place in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove top baking sheet and top parchment paper; return apples to oven. Bake until nicely browned. Cool.

2.  Place lettuce in large bowl. Cut Golden Delicious apple into small cubes. Cut Ambrosia apple in half and cut into thin slices. Cut Braeburn apple into thin matchsticks. Cut Fuji apple into thin wedges. Place apples with lettuce in bowl. Add granola and chopped celery leaves. Drizzle on vinegar and toss. Drizzle on lemon olive oil and toss. Taste and add a little salt if needed and/or a little more lemon olive oil.

3. Place lettuce mixture on serving plates. Top with cheese. Garnish with apple chip if using.

Cooking question? Contact Cathy Thomas at cathythomascooks@gmail.com