Waldorf salad - and variations

[Jaymes]

Asked these questions in the "Thanksgiving sides" thread, but got no reponse.

I'm trying a more aggressive, brazen approach.

What kind of apples?

Do you put in anything besides the traditional apples, celery, walnuts, raisins?

How about the dressing - just Mayo, or mayo with little extra lemon? Sugar? Durkee's? What?

My Waldorf Salad is damned adequate, but I have a feeling it could be much better.

[Fat Guy]

Best to use two types of apples, one green and one red (in about a 2:1 green:red ratio). Variety isn't super-important; better to get whatever is good at the time you're shopping.

Are raisins traditional? I wouldn't use them. But if you're accustomed to their taste, you might find that dried cranberries are on the whole a better salad ingredient than raisins.

Lemon juice and honey in the dressing.

Bibb lettuce is the way to go.

[Suvir Saran]

What kind of apples?

Newtown Pippin or Ashmead Kernel or Esopus Spitzenberg are my favorite apples around this time.

Let me know which one you use.

[SobaAddict70]

Or try dried currants in lieu of the raisins.

SA

[Jaymes]

What kind of apples?

Newtown Pippin or Ashmead Kernel or Esopus Spitzenberg are my favorite apples around this time.

Let me know which one you use.

My mother always used Red Delicious. I think that was pretty-much the only choice back in the olden days. But I just read an article saying that the only thing "delicious" about Red Delicious is the name.

And I've tried a few other varieties, but haven't settled on one.

So, that's why I'm asking the wise and wizened eGulleteers.

EDIT: Should add that I really like Fuji for snacking, but fear the flavor is too mild to stand up to a salad.

[Suvir Saran]

But I just read an article saying that the only thing "delicious" about Red Delicious is the name.

And I've tried a few other varieties, but haven't settled on one.

Yeah... it is only the name that is delicious about those.... Well, when I was a kid in India, I did have some good red delicious apples... But this last visit, what I ate were closer to what we get here.. Great looks, little flavor.

Again, Newtown Pippin or Ashmead Kernel or Esopus Spitzenberg are what you should look for. Once you have tried any of these, you will want to find trees to plant so you can grow them and have your own supply. They are each amazing.

[snowangel]

I favor a Haralson apple -- tart and very crisp. I think the texture of the apple is very important. I make dressing similar to the one FG suggested. Whether I put raisins or some other dried fruit depends on what (if any) I have.

[Blue Heron]

The dressing is the tricky part. Is it mayo, lemon juice, honey or sugar? Anything else? How much of everything goes in it? Does the lemon juice help to keep the apples from turning brown? How far in advance can one make this salad? I've never made waldorf salad.

[Suvir Saran]

The dressing is the tricky part.  Is it mayo, lemon juice, honey or sugar?  Anything else?  How much of everything goes in it?  Does the lemon juice help to keep the apples from turning brown?  How far in advance can one make this salad?  I've never made waldorf salad.

Lemon and sugar I am told help apples from turning color.

I have had great success using that trick when making Apple Halwa or Tarte Tatin.

A trick I learned from HRH Julia Child.

[nightscotsman]

I remember a recipe from one of the Moosewood cookbooks that I used to make quite often a long time ago. It included muenster cheese in small cubes and choped dates, and the dressing had orange juice and orange zest in it. Really tasty, but a bit on the sweet side and quite substantial.

I think that a firm blue cheese might make a nice addition to a more traditional waldorf. Personally I wouldn't add sugar, but then I also wouldn't use super-tart apples like granny smith.

[Suvir Saran]

I am not a fan of sugar in savory or garlic in desserts..

But I was only speaking of how to keep apples from turning color...

In a salad.. for me... as little sweet as possible.

[Jaymes]

The dressing is the tricky part.   Is it mayo, lemon juice, honey or sugar?  Anything else?  How much of everything goes in it?  Does the lemon juice help to keep the apples from turning brown?  How far in advance can one make this salad?   I've never made waldorf salad.

Well, in the South of course, we always add a little Durkee's Famous Sauce. Ain't no such thing as a Southern refrigerator without Durkee's in it.

[Blue Heron]

The dressing is the tricky part.   Is it mayo, lemon juice, honey or sugar?  Anything else?  How much of everything goes in it?  Does the lemon juice help to keep the apples from turning brown?  How far in advance can one make this salad?   I've never made waldorf salad.

Well, in the South of course, we always add a little Durkee's Special Sauce. Ain't no such thing as a Southern refrigerator without Durkee's in it.

What is Durkee's Special Sauce? You aren't talking about Durkee's Hot Sauce are you? I think that might be the only kind of Durkee sauce we get up here, I would have to check.

[Jaymes]

The dressing is the tricky part.   Is it mayo, lemon juice, honey or sugar?  Anything else?  How much of everything goes in it?  Does the lemon juice help to keep the apples from turning brown?  How far in advance can one make this salad?   I've never made waldorf salad.

Well, in the South of course, we always add a little Durkee's Special Sauce. Ain't no such thing as a Southern refrigerator without Durkee's in it.

What is Durkee's Special Sauce? You aren't talking about Durkee's Hot Sauce are you? I think that might be the only kind of Durkee sauce we get up here, I would have to check.

No - it's not what most people would consider "hot." It does have some horseradish, however, to give it a pretty good zip.

It's creamy - kinda mustardy, kinda sweet, kinda tangy.

It comes in a concial-shaped jar with a turquoise lid. It's with the salad dressings and mayos in the grocery store.

We put it in lots and lots of things - slaws and salads and deviled eggs come immediately to mind. Some people just smear it directly on their bread for sandwiches, but the horseradish makes it a little strong for that for me.

It is ubiquitous. Southern cooks just say, "Oh, and add a little Durkee's, of course." Everyone knows what you mean.

EDIT: Got my bottle of Durkee's. First of all, I had the name wrong. It's "Durkee's FAMOUS Sauce," and although it is "special" that's not the name.

The label says, "Since 1857 - Sandwich & Salad - A Tangy, Mustardy-Mayonnaise Flavor - A creamy deli spread that goes great with sandwiches and sliced meats. Adds zest to cole slaw, potato salad, and makes a tangy sauce for meats and vegetables."

So, you gotta figure if they've been pumping out this stuff since 1857, SOMEONE must like it.

[Malawry]

Durkee's! I'd forgotten all about Durkee's! I'll have to pick up a bottle when I go home for Thanksgiving. Thanks for mentioning it, Jaymes.

Here is the waldorf salad we made at school. I am not a big waldorf salad fan, but this was all right:

Waldorf Salad

Celeriac

Lemon juice

Apple, a tart variety like Granny Smith

Sea salt and white pepper

Walnuts

Mustard

Mayonnaise

Mesclun mix

Emulsified vinaigrette

Cover celeriac with a squeeze of lemon juice. Combine with apple and season. Add walnuts, mustard, and mayonnaise. Combine mesclun with vinaigrette. Serve celeriac-apple mixture molded in circles topped with a pluche of mesclun.

[Gifted Gourmet]

Waldorf salad was created at New York's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in the 1896 not by a chef, but by the maître d'hôtel Oscar Tschirky, the Waldorf salad was an instant success.....  the original version of this salad contained only apples, celery and mayonnaise. Chopped walnuts later became an integral part of the dish.

Does anyone here have some ideas on updating this particular delight? It is, after all, autumn and this seems perfect for the season ... I have added golden raisins and a bit of cinnamon from time to time ...

[ladyyoung98]

my mother used to add rasins and cinnamon and the miniature marhsmallows

[MGLloyd]

From time to time, I will add dried cranberries or substitute dry-roasted peanuts for the walnuts.

[maggiethecat]

I love Waldorf Salad, even though it probably hasn't been "fashionable" since our mothers tucked a hanky in their purses before leaving the house and a tatoo was sinister and shocking. And it's so good that it doesn't have to be fashionable, rather like good pearls or Standing Rib for Sunday dinner.

I would not mess with the original formula any more than I would have tried to make my grandmother switch from a garter belt to pantihose! Please, no apple pie seasonings.

And the thought of marshmallows just might give me the vapours!!

[bloviatrix]

I make with lemon mayonnaise. It adds a nice tang.

[Daniel Rogov]

Oddly enough, Waldorf Salad, in its original form and by its own name, is probably at its most popular today in the cafes and bistros of France and in the Veneto and Piedmont regions of Italy.

As to changes to the recipe, I've seen it served with various combinations of nopolitos, black cherries, cashew nuts, cinnamon, star anise, jalapeno peppers and even with the addition of crabmet. Call those what you like, but don't call them Waldorf Salad please.

[andiesenji]

Now your talking!! My all-time favorite salad. I love Waldorf in every shape and form in which it has crossed my lips over the years.

I have gently tinkered with it from time to time but the classic is still excellent.

I have added poached chicken to it, substitued candied pecans for the walnuts - also substituted pistachios on request because a guest was allergic to walnuts. Oh yes, and sliced, toasted almonds.

I have used a sour cream based dressing that included a little Thai sweet chile sauce that gave it a bit of a tang and a lovely rosy glow.

On at least one occasion when I did not have enough crisp apples (the other variety just won't do), I added jicama and everyone commented on how well it worked. Rather than cubes, I cut it into matchsticks so it would be distinct from the cubes of apple.

Never have and never will include a marshmallow. However I do recall, now that I am thinking about it, that I did try it a couple of times with Mandarin orange segments and used the juice from the can in the dressing. My guests like it quite a bit, and both times those also included poached chicken.

Edited October 24, 2004 by andiesenji (log)

[Gifted Gourmet]

What incredible ideas to make an old, beloved favorite dish into something altogether new! Many thanks everyone!

[Susan in FL]

There aren't many foods I don't like, and I'm sorry to say this, but jello salads and Waldorf salads are two things I can't even force myself to eat to be polite if they are served to me. I may stand alone in my distaste for it, but it is a serious aversion to me, fashionable or not.

[Susan G]

Love, love, love Waldorf Salad............served it last week to my in-laws: I got a bushel of apples and I'm up to my ears in crisp, pie, and slices-with-cheese (not that I'm complaining).

Why mess with a classic?