ugly duckling salad/salad with a twist/Aarti Sequeira

By pdav

Ingredients

• dressing:
• 1/2 ½ cup pistachio nuts, shelled
• 1-2 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 ½ cup hot water
• 1/2 ½ tsp. hot sauce (optional)
• 1/2 ½ cup canola oil
• Kosher salt
• Splash of extra-virgin olive oil
• Fresh ground black pepper
• Salad:
• 1 bag baby spinach, washed and dried thoroughly
• 1 Fuji apple, thinly sliced
• 1 bulb celeriac (celery root), cleaned, peeled and grated

Preparation

Step 1

Warm a small skillet over medium heat. Add pistachios and toast until light brown, shaking pan to avoid burning nuts. Add nuts to blender along with garlic, half the lemon juice, a little hot water, hot sauce, a little canola oil and a sprinkle of salt. Blend until smooth, adding water and canola oil as needed until dressing is the consistency of thin hummus. Blend in olive oil, lemon juice and pepper to taste. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, toss spinach, apple and celeriac. Pour dressing over salad and toss again. Let sit for five minutes, and then serve.