Turkey Waldorf Salad
Here is my variation of the classic Waldorf Salad created in the 1890s at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel by its legendary maître d’, Oscar Tschirky. I use turkey instead of chicken and a creamy walnut oil and cider vinaigrette instead of heavier mayo. The original recipe in his 900+ page The Cook Book by Oscar of the Waldorf published 1986 reads as follows: “Peel 2 raw apples, cut into small pieces about ½-in. square, cut some celery the same way, and mix with the apple. Add ‘a good mayonnaise’.”
Serves 6 to 8
½ cup each: walnut oil and grapeseed, canola or vegetable oil
½ cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
2 teaspoons fine sea salt, divided
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 cups chicken broth
1 pound boneless turkey breast
1 crispy red apple (Stayman Winesap or Fuji)
1 tart green apple (Granny Smith)
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup halved red and/or green grapes, seeded if necessary
1 cup chopped walnuts, lightly toasted in a 300°F. oven until medium brown, about 10 minutes
4 ribs celery, trimmed, washed, and diced
¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
Place the oils, vinegar, honey, shallots, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper into the container of a blender (or use an immersion blender) and puree until creamy and smooth, and reserve.
Bring the broth and the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt to the boil. Add the turkey and enough water to barely cover. Poach until the turkey is firm and no longer pink in the middle about 15 minutes. Allow the turkey to cool in the broth, and then cut into 1-inch cubes. (Strain the cooking liquid and reserve for another use, such as soup.)
Cut the apples into small cubes and toss with the lemon juice. Combine the turkey cubes, grapes, walnuts, celery, apples, parsley, the dressing, and more black pepper to taste. Serve immediately or refrigerate and serve within 2 days.
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